not everywhere· Sports· Updated 13:58

Raz Hershko Wins Bronze, Expresses Mixed Feelings After World Championships

Israeli judoka Raz Hershko returned to Israel on Sunday, 11 October 2026, after winning a bronze medal in the under-78 kg category at the World Judo Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan. Hershko secured the medal on Saturday by defeating Helena Vukovic of Croatia, following a semifinal loss to Lee Hye-jin of South Korea. Her achievement marked Israel's second medal at the tournament, following a silver medal won by Karem Primov in the under-63 kg category.

4 newsrooms · 2 languages · since 11 Oct, 12:37

Plus

What happened

01Israeli judoka Raz Hershko won a bronze medal in the under-78 kg category at the World Judo Championships in Baku.
02Hershko defeated Helena Vukovic of Croatia in the bronze medal match after losing her semifinal to South Korea's Lee Hye-jin.
03The bronze medal is Hershko's second individual World Championship bronze, adding to her silver medal from the 2024 Paris Olympics.
04Hershko expressed disappointment at missing out on the gold medal, despite feeling highly prepared and capable of winning it.
05She defeated Brazilian Olympic champion Beatriz Souza in the quarterfinals, describing it as her best fight against her.
06Hershko dedicated her World Championship medal to the memory of former judoka and fallen soldier Lieutenant Yonatan Guttin.
07Her bronze was Israel's second medal at the tournament in Baku, alongside a silver medal won by Karem Primov.

Upon her arrival, Hershko expressed mixed emotions, stating that while she was pleased to win her second individual World Championship bronze, she felt a deep sense of disappointment and missed opportunity for not reaching the final and competing for gold. She described her quarterfinal victory against Olympic champion Beatriz Souza of Brazil as her best match against the Brazilian, which had given her strong momentum before her semifinal defeat.

Hershko dedicated her bronze medal to the memory of Lieutenant Yonatan Guttin, a former judoka and fallen soldier. She noted that competing abroad during the period since 7 October brought complex feelings but also provided extra motivation to represent Israel. Looking forward, the 28-year-old Olympic silver medalist vowed to work on her mistakes, maintain consistency, and improve her focus in future competitions.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 4 newsrooms. Updated 21:12

Latest report: Kan News. Read Kan News’s original