Israeli Judo Olympian Yarden Gerbi Retires
Image by Getty Images
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israeli judoka Yarden Gerbi, who won a bronze medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics, said she would retire from competitive judo.
In her announcement on Tuesday morning Gerbi said: “I felt that the fire in me had gone out.”
“I don’t have the energy to give my all on the [judo] mat… I’m fulfilled, I don’t have the strength to get more out of myself,” Gerbi, 28, also said.
Gerbi earned the gold medal in the world championships in 2013, and silver in 2014. Judo’s European Senior Championships will be held next year in Israel.
She said she was still considering her post retirement plans, which are said to include completing her college degree and teaching judo to young people.
Gerbi defeated Miku Tashiro of Japan for Israel’s first Olympic medal since the 2008 games in Beijing.
“The medal is for all of Israel, for everyone who supported me and cheered me on,” Gerbi said after her victory. “I’m waiting for someone to wake me up. I gave my soul and it paid off. Whoever said you can’t succeed in Israel is wrong.”
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
