Israeli rhythmic gymnastics superstar Linoy Ashram won the Olympic gold medal in the Women’s Rhythmic Gymnastics all-around final on Saturday, with an overall score of 107.800, placing first in the hoop, ball and clubs exercises.Israeli Nicol Zelikman – who also made the final after both qualified on Friday – came back from behind to finish the competition with an impressive seventh place, with an overall score of 95.600.
“Linoy, you are a champion!” Prime Minister Naftali Bennett tweeted on Saturday evening after the historic win. “Hatikva (Israel’s national anthem) played once again today at the Tokyo Olympics, and the heart is once again filled with pride. Linoy Ashram, the symbol of bravery and hard work, trained since age seven, and today she fulfilled her dream. As her mother said: Wonder Woman is real.”
לינוי, את אלופה!
התקווה התנגנה היום פעם נוספת באולימפיאדת טוקיו, והלב שוב נמלא גאווה.
לינוי אשרם, סמל למאמץ ועבודה קשה, התאמנה מגיל 7, והיום — הגשימה את החלום.
כפי שאמה חדווה אמרה: וונדר וומן אמיתית.
אל אל ישראל.
תודה, לינוי
צילום: עמית שיסל pic.twitter.com/hFeICD9E7P— Naftali Bennett בנט (@naftalibennett) August 7, 2021
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Three times world champion, Russian Dina Averina, came in a close second to get the silver medal with a total score of 107.650, while the Belarusian Alina Harnasko got the bronze with a score of 102.700.
Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Gymnastics – Rhythmic – Individual All-Around – Final – Rotation 4 – Ariake Gymnastics Centre, Tokyo, Japan – August 7, 2021. Linoy Ashram of Israel cries after winning gold (photographer: REUTERS/LISI NIESNER)Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Gymnastics – Rhythmic – Individual All-Around – Final – Rotation 1 – Ariake Gymnastics Centre, Tokyo, Japan – August 7, 2021. Linoy Ashram of Israel in action with hoop. (photo credit: REUTERS/LINDSEY WASSON)
First up was the hoop exercise, with Ashram receiving an incredible score of 27.550 which landed her in first place for the exercise, and Zelikman behind her in 10th and last place for the exercise, receiving a score of 23.700.
During the ball exercise, Ashram continued to perform fantastically, again placing first temporarily with a score of 28.300, to the tune of a remix of Alphaville’s “Big in Japan.” Zelikman continued to perform well with a score of 24.150.After the second exercise, Ashram was in first place with an overall score of 55.850, while Zelikman placed ninth, with a score of 47.850.
Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Gymnastics – Rhythmic – Individual All-Around – Final – Rotation 2 – Ariake Gymnastics Centre, Tokyo, Japan – August 7, 2021. Linoy Ashram of Israel in action with ball. (photo credit: REUTERS/LISI NIESNER)
Ashram had her best performance of the final with the third event, the bars, with another impressive score of 28.650 set to a Beyonce medley of ‘Level up’ ‘Crazy in Love’ ‘Diva’ and ‘Run the World,’ which again placed her first for the round. Zelikman continued to improve her performances during the clubs exercise, receiving a score of 25.600.With only one exercise remaining, Ashram stood firmly in first place with an overall score of 84.500, while Zelikman remained in ninth place with an overall score of 73.450.![]()
Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Gymnastics – Rhythmic – Individual All-Around – Final – Rotation 3 – Ariake Gymnastics Centre, Tokyo, Japan – August 7, 2021. Nicol Zelikman of Israel in action with clubs
Ashram finished off the final with the ribbon exercise, gaining another astounding score of 23.300, to place first overall with a total score of 107.800 to take home the gold.
Zelikman’s final exercise went fantastically, receiving a score of 22.150, to round out the final with an overall score of 95.600 and a come-from-behind seventh place finish.
Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Gymnastics – Rhythmic – Individual All-Around – Final – Rotation 4 – Ariake Gymnastics Centre, Tokyo, Japan – August 7, 2021. Linoy Ashram of Israel in action with ribbon (photo credit: REUTERS/LINDSEY WASSON)
Ashram was heavily favored to earn Israel its first ever Olympic medal in Rhythmic Gymnastics and its fourth medal in the Tokyo 2020 Games, after racking up a host of medals in world competitions in recent years.This was Israel’s thirteenth Olympic medal overall, the country’s third ever gold medal, and its second gold medal this week in the Tokyo Games after artistic gymnast Artem Dolgopyat won gold in the men’s floor exercise on Sunday.This win also makes Ashram the first Israeli woman to win an Olympic gold medal.
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Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Gymnastics – Rhythmic – Group All-Around – Qualification – Ariake Gymnastics Centre, Tokyo, Japan – August 7, 2021. Team Israel in action with balls during competing (photo credit: REUTERS/LINDSEY WASSON)
Transportation Minister and long-time feminist activist Merav Michaeli congratulated her achievement, referring to Ashram as a “Gold gymnast.”
In a statement following Ashram’s win, Michaeli wrote that “We all look at you and take example. Each woman and girl looks at you and sees how much talent, how much strength, how much courage, how much determination, how much personality you exhude. Each of us looks at you and sees how far you can go. Thank you, Champion.”
Title: Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Gymnastics – Rhythmic – Individual All-Around – Medal Ceremony – Ariake Gymnastics Centre, Tokyo, Japan – August 7, 2021. Gold medallist Linoy Ashram of Israel poses with her medal. (photo credit: REUTERS/LISI NIESNER)
After winning the gold, Ashram told reporters that “It was an amazing feeling to stand on the podium in first place, it’s a crazy experience, I’m still the most excited I’ve ever been.”
“I was not alone, there was this huge crowd that came to cheer me on,” Ashram continued, saying “It was a dream. I was waiting to see if the end result would be enough for me, happy to know that the hard work paid off.”
Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Gymnastics – Rhythmic – Individual All-Around – Final – Rotation 4 – Ariake Gymnastics Centre, Tokyo, Japan – August 7, 2021. Gold Medallist Linoy Ashram of Israel embraces coach Ayelet Zussman after competing (REUTERS/Lisi Niesner)
After her seventh place finish, Nicol Zelikman said excitedly that “We are now two in the top eight in the world from Israel.”
“It was a dream come true, Linoy and I proved that we are a gymnastics powerhouse. I want to thank my whole family for all the 17 years they worked to help me reach my achievements, I was privileged to reach this dream.”
The Russian Olympic Committee claimed that silver medalist Dina Averina was cheated by the judges, despite the fact that both of Averina’s appeals to her score failed to raise it above Ashram’s and make up the 0.150 difference in points.
“The whole world has seen the injustice,” the Russian Olympic Committee tweeted.
Ashram’s win broke a Russian stranglehold on the Olympic title that stretched back to 2000, with sisters Dina and Arina Averina havily favorited to win the title for the ROC once more.
The Averinas contested their scores in two rotations but both of Dina’s inquiries were unsuccessful, including one she made after Ashram was announced the winner.
An Olympic medal event since 1984, rhythmic gymnastics sees athletes perform exquisite contortions and maneuvers to music while using hoops, balls, clubs or ribbons.
Ashram rose from the qualifiers from third place with 103.100 points in the overall score. Zelikman maintained stability throughout the qualifying round and performed well in all exercises. She finished with an overall score of 95.900 which secured her a seventh place finish in the overall standings and the ticket to the final.
Earlier on Saturday, and during her final campaign for Team Israel, coach Ira Vigdorchik helped the national Rhythmic Gymnastics team qualify from fourth place for the finals in the group all-around competition early on Saturday morning, after Gymnasts Yana Kramarenko, Ofir Dayan, Natalie Raits, Yuliana Telegina and Karin Vexman received a total score of 84.650 for their exercises.
Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Gymnastics – Rhythmic – Group All-Around – Qualification – Ariake Gymnastics Centre, Tokyo, Japan – August 7, 2021. Team Israel in action with balls during competing (photo credit: REUTERS/LINDSEY WASSON)Team Israel especially excelled during their second drill, which mixes batons and hoops, receiving a score of 40.650.
This will be Team Israel’s fourth consecutive Olympic final in this event, which is scheduled to take place on Sunday at 5 a.m. Israel Standard Time.
Meeting team Israel in the finals will be the national teams from Bulgaria (91.800 points), the Russian Olympic Committee (89.050), Italy (87.150), China (83.600), Ukraine (82.700), Japan (79.725) and Belarus (79.650).
The team has won numerous medals at various competitions worldwide, including the European Championships, and will look to take a place on the podium in Tokyo as well.
Reuters contributed to this article.
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