"Everything in life is a gamble. Starting a business, getting married, dating. Everything carries an inherent risk, but if you want to gain something – you have to take calculated risks, and in poker, I calculate and assess risks based on the game and the players in front of me. It works like that in poker and in life in general."

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One would expect such a remark to come from a macho man, who has gotten together with his buddies for a weekend poker game. But these are actually the words of Niv Sofer, founder of Ladies Don't Play Games, the first-of-its-kind organization in Israel that teaches women how to play poker, with branches in Tel Aviv and Ra'anana.

Sofer, who is 29-years-old and also excels at chess, recently participated in the Israeli Poker Championship, which was held in the coastal city of Varna, in Bulgaria. It was organized abroad due to coronavirus restrictions and because poker is not designated as a sport in Israel, although it is something the Knesset's Education, Culture and Sports Committee is working on.

"The championship isn't held in Israel, because it still isn't possible to win a cash prize of this magnitude in an industry considered gambling," Sofer explained.

A mere two-hour flight away, the prize can go as high as 30,000 euros ($34,000).

The Israeli delegation consisted of Sofer, her business partner Guy Klein and six students of Ladies Don't Play Games. This was the group's first international tournament, which also included a 14-hour game. Out of 446 participants, Sofer ranked 64th.

"I had never before played for 14 hours straight as in the championship, and I also had a migraine. But I told myself that whoever goes through such an experience will have it easier with everything else.

"If, for example, you sit at a table consisting of mostly men, and you need to present yourself and your idea, then after a poker tournament it will be much easier for you because you have already had to deal with a table full of war, ego, and testosterone.

"Every participant in the championship is strong, everyone has good cards and everyone views you as someone sweet, and I take advantage of this. Do they think that I don't know how to bluff? Oh, I bluff.

"One time, someone said, 'What a table we are, a table of lions,' but he then corrected himself 'lions and lionesses.' It was a symbolic fix that I liked very much."

Q: Before we dive dep, can you explain in a few words what poker is? For those of us who are unfamiliar. 

"Sure. Poker is a game of calculated risks, withstanding pressure, reading the situation and body language, and remaining calm. We play the Texas hold 'em variant, with one deck of cards and without the Jokers. The goal in poker is to take the chips away from all other players at the table. All players receive the same starting amount of chips and each hand consists of several rounds. 

"First, two cards are dealt face down to each player, and then five community cards are dealt face up in three stages. First three [cards], then another one, and then another one. 

"Each player is required to bet upon receiving their first two cards, and then, with each common card stage, he or she can check, call, raise, or fold.

"The biggest bet is called 'all in,' which is when the player bets all of their chips in the current hand. Based on how much the player increases the debt, the other players have to match it, raise it, or fold. 

"The goal is to get the best five-card poker hand from any combination of the seven cards [the five community cards and their two hole cards] or win by bluffing and getting your opponent to fold. The game ends when one player scoops all the chips."

Sofer was born in a religious family and already from an early age showed an aptitude for chess. 

"When I was a child, I was immediately referred to play women's chess. 'You have a better chance there,' my teacher told me. Only now do I understand what he meant. I was the only girl in my extracurricular activity, and the only [female] chess teacher and the only [female] instructor at chess camp." 

Sofer successfully competed in chess for several years but decided to quit when she was 15. 

"I was religious and most tournaments took place on Shabbat, and that is why I did not participate in most of them," said Sofer, who later chose a more secular lifestyle. 

Q: How did your family react to your decision? 

"I come from a very open home, where they accept someone who is different. My mom is most open and liberal and our parents taught us that we can do anything. My older sister, for example, is a building engineer, working in a male-dominated field. We all know that we are equal and capable of everything and accepted as we are." 

Poker came into Sofer's life at the age of 20, when she taught herself how to play in order to join a weekly game with friends. Having fallen in love with poker, she saw a need to open a women's poker school, and set out on a journey to do so." 

At the end of 2019, "I read a lot, did market research, and over a hundred women wrote to me on social media that they would be interested in learning how to play poker and left their name and phone number. I understood that there is something to my idea."

Shortly before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, Ladies Don't Play Games opened its doors. 

"It started out as individual sessions and then I developed courses for beginners and advanced students and we would practice for hours, both face-to-face and online. There were only a few women in the beginning, but two and a half years later, we have turned into a community of several hundred players."

Q: What kind of students do you have? 

"We have school teachers, kindergarten teachers, entrepreneurs, business advisers, judges, and biochemists. The average age is between 30 and 65, but we even used to have an 82-year-old student, and we also have one student who is 19. Altogether, I have taught over 400 women how to play poker. 

"We currently have 2-3 courses a month and up to 9 participants in a group. We meet face-to-face around a table, and during this difficult and lonely time, everyone feels they need it. 

"We require everyone to take a coronavirus test and follow health guidelines, but we continue to operate, and I know that the school brings light into these women's lives. It is a very heartwarming hobby, one you can learn from every time."

Every session is two and a half hours long, during which members compete and give each other feedback. Twice a month, the school even holds a tournament, which can be joined by family members and friends, with prizes awarded to the winners. 

Q: Do some of the students arrive with the goal to make money?

"My students come because they enjoy playing. They are surprised to even learn that there are prizes in our tournaments. But we are not here to play for the money. "My father is a policeman and I grew up in a home where gambling was forbidden. When I was at the championship in Varna, my students and I didn't even come close to the gambling tables. I don't view poker as a gambling game, like roulette, where you definitely lose, but a game of strategy, forethought, and risk mitigation. I don't need any prizes when it comes to chess, because I enjoy playing it, and the same goes for poker."

Q: Why have you decided to open a school for women alone? 

"Factually, the moment there is a man at the table, women are less likely to ask questions. It's true of poker and chess. There are fewer women in both these sports. 

"I myself have had many unpleasant experiences in chess and poker, but I remain driven. Women tend to stay away from these games, and I understand why. It deters them to hear comments like 'you are sweet' in an environment where you are meant to be tough. Women want a safe space."

Q: What has your personal experience been with poker? 

"As a woman, I get more attention and it is tiring. At the end of the day, I hold two cards, just like the rest of the players at the table. I wish women were paid attention to but not because they are women. It is not pleasant when you are being bullied or they don't believe you. This is exactly why at the school we work a lot on one's approach to the game. I would love for a woman to be able to sit at a poker table and not receive comments about her gender. 

"When I just began to play, I was a hesitant, passive player who was easy to read. I didn't understand why I was losing every week. I tried to hide, so to speak, and not draw too much attention at the table. The moment I learned to be more assertive I felt it changed my reality, both in poker and in life. 

"Now, for example, we choose different clothes, like a hoodie, and I sit in a way that does draw attention. I want the focus to be on me and for players to be intimidated by me, which is so outside my comfort zone. 

"Also in life, I suddenly became more courageous, like opening a business and being independent, and I wanted all women to feel like this. Everyone gets better here. My students tell me that poker has changed their lives, for example, led them to see how they speak and are perceived in negotiations, to know if they are easy to read or not."

Q: Do you aspire to become a professional poker player? 

"The plan is to participate in championships. My dream is to play in the Las Vegas poker world tournament, and I'm sure it will happen eventually. We have only just started. Israel hasn't had a female poker champion yet, but I hope there will be in the future. Israel needs a female champion, it would be such a boost for women. We are here to stay. 

"For now, we don't participate in world tournaments yet, both because it requires significant funds and because we are not yet prepared. Our most veteran students have been playing for two years, and we don't have sponsors like other champions, and preparing for such a game requires training day and night, staying focused on the body language and not giving in to fatigue and making silly mistakes. 

"We are still in the beginning, but there is definitely an aspiration to make it to the world championship, including in Asia. I would like to get there in two-three years and play as much as possible until then. 

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Sofer's business partner, Klein, 35, is a former criminal attorney from Ra'anana. Today, he is a basketball teacher, coach, basketball referee, and, of course, a poker player who came on board the Ladies Don't Play Games about a year ago. 

"Niv and I met two and a half years ago. Her project spoke to me a lot, and I wanted to coach the students and do mental work with them. One thing led to another and I quit my job and became a referee." 

Q: In your opinion, who is better at poker, men or women? 

"I think women must be better than men. Men have no advantage over women, it's only a matter of confidence and risk management, and I think women are better at this than men, and there can be a chance here that could affect all of society. 

"The way poker is perceived is beginning to shift, and we want to encourage women to play. Some still have stereotypes about the game, but with each passing day, more people – both men and women – discover its magical side. Poker makes us disconnect from life, think again, and gain tools for life. It helps with work, relationships, studies, and anything we come across."

Q: Tell us about a special student of yours. 

"My mom, Dafna. She was against poker at first, but after a few years, she gave it a chance and fell in love. She is 60 years old, and former chemistry and mathematics teacher, and she took several courses with us and plays online."

In last year's Israeli championship, Klein came in 18th. 

"Poker is a game that takes five minutes to learn and an entire lifetime to master," said Rona Barzilai Livni, who studies at Ladies Don't Play Games and works with special needs children. 

"I am a very serious person, and I had a prejudice against poker in the past, but it's truly incredible how it has become dominant in my life. After taking a poker dealer course, I play once or twice a week, and I am not ashamed of posting a photo with a pile of chips. Not a week goes by that I don't play, because poker is almost always in the first place. I don't play for money at all, gambling is not my cup of tea, it's about strategy."

Barzilai Livni decided to try poker after seeing an advertisement about the school. 

"I knew absolutely nothing about poker, but Niv made such an impression on me. Two years ago, I took the beginner's course and continued with the rest of the courses from there. The more classes I attended, the more I understood that when it comes to poker, I am all in."

Q: How did your friends and loved ones react to your new hobby?

"My partner has been playing [poker] for many years, and every Thursday we play together. He was very excited and encouraging, as were my 17 and 20-year-old sons, who also play. During the first lockdown, we played a lot together."

Q: And what has poker taught you about yourself? 

"Poker is a game that consists of the entire spectrum of feelings: anger, sadness, annoyance, restraint, and of course incredible joy. You discover your competitiveness and difficulty with failing and losing, and then you investigate why. Sometimes in poker, you feel like playing one hand, but the mind stops you and says 'statistically, that would not be the right move.'

"That translates into life as well, when it comes to making decisions, for example, we can ask what would be the outcome if I chose a particular transaction. 

"At the table, you constantly need to encounter competitors and learn their weaknesses, and how you can use them to your advantage. Poker is an exciting game of life."

Q: Has poker helped you make new friends?

"I've made many friends. I am 48, so I have social circles already, but I also felt like making new friends with whom I share a hobby. I tried several options, and nothing stuck until I fell in love with poker. 

"We are all very good friends and it's wonderful because at the table we are competitors. We also love to learn together and support each other, and the moment the game is over, forget what happened at the table. "

Fellow poker student Anat Kerem Engel, from Tel Aviv, concurred.

"Poker has brought a kind of spice to my life. Although I'm still a novice, who learns and makes mistakes just like everyone else, it's an opportunity for me to be among equals."

Engel, a biochemistry specialist and a mind-body specialist, teaches a presentation titled "If your body could speak, what would it tell you?"

"I don't come as a doctor, but from a place of joy and play in order to let go of stress," she said. That is the best medicine there is because poker works on hormones like dopamine and endorphins, which human beings need. This game strengthens the immune system and is better than any addiction. I encourage women to come to play, but at the same time, not to take the game too seriously. Win or lose, at the end of the day, it is just a fun game."

Engel too started out with the beginners' course and went on to join the advanced group.

Q: What is it like to play poker with other women?

"Very different from playing with men. Women have more sophisticated and foxy energies and they are very intelligent and profound, and men, well, with them it always comes down to ego."

Q: What has poker taught you about life? 

"I added topics from poker into my lectures, for example, how to control pressure, pulse, and breathing. Poker also trains the brain. Moreover, I learned to get outside my comfort zone, including bluffing, and learned that it's not just about the cards that you get, but how you play with them."

The post Deal me in: Israeli female poker players want to be brought into the fold appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

On July 31, the Israeli national judo team won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics. For one of the judoka – 23-year-old Raz Hershko – the medal also symbolized a private victory over the challenges she has had to overcome since childhood. 

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"When I was a child, I was sexually assaulted, like many women in Israel," she told Israel Hayom. "But besides that, I was made fun of in school, I had no confidence, and I struggled emotionally. I did not want to bother others by asking for help, so I hurt myself in 11th grade. It helped me release the emotions that were inside me, because it is much easier to deal with physical pain than emotional. 

"In 2016, I began my army service as an exceptional athlete. Not long after, my family went through a crisis, and I was drained. I only used to go to judo, and I could not bring myself to do anything else.

"In the beginning, my coaches thought I had a physical problem, but they understood very quickly that it was emotional. I was stuck in a cycle that I could not get out of. I was not myself. I was referred to a psychologist, who gave me the tools I needed to stop hurting myself and see the world differently.

"I worked together with her, and two years later, I was in a much better place, and we decided I no longer needed the sessions. Now, I am content with who I am, and I feel I have the right tools at my disposal to deal with life's challenges. I am an optimistic person, much more than I used to be. I love life, and I have plans for the future, andbut most importantly, I no longer feel that life is awful.

Q: What did you think of Simone Biles' decision to pull out of almost all Olympic events due to mental strain?

"I think it was a very brave decision. It's true that the Olympics is a major event and athletes need to be able to deal with that, but as someone who has also experienced anxiety, I can say that if Simone had to make a choice between pushing through and proving to the world that she is the best, or choosing her health, knowing well she might otherwise get to a point from which she could not recover, well then, kudos that she made the decision that was best for her.

"In the end, she did participate in the balance beam final and won a [bronze] medal, and that is an enormous success. There was a lot of criticism directed at her for her choices, but in the end, no one can judge or make decisions for you until they have walked in your shoes."

The Tokyo Games were the first Olympics for Hershko. She won her first match, against Saudi opponent Tahani Al-Qahtani, just after 42 seconds. She lost her second match to Japanese judoka Akira Sone a minute before the end of the game.

Q: Did you manage to get any sleep before the competition?

"I didn't sleep very well, I was too nervous. But in the morning, I said to myself that I was going to do my best, no matter who my opponent would be, or what challenge I had to face that day. I was ready for whatever was coming my way."

Q: Then you faced your opponent, the Saudi judoka. Many wondered whether she would appear at all.

"Yes. We were matched against each other two weeks earlier, and I had no idea if she would square off against me. Right at that time Fethi Nourine, the Algerian judo athlete, withdrew from the Games so as not to face [Israeli judoka] Tohar Butbul.

"Two days before the match, our coaches Miki Tanaka and Ido Bar told me that the Saudi opponent was indeed going to face off against me and that I needed to prepare. I was very glad that all political considerations were put aside that day.

"I won the match pretty fast, and it boosted my confidence. As my first event, it set me off on the right foot for the rest of the Games."

Q: The two of you shook hands after the game.

"Yes, it was very exciting. We shook hands instead of running away from each other. Politics stayed off the mat that day, and we showed true sportsmanship. We came to have a fair judo fight, and we did."

Q: Then you faced off against Japanese judoka, an Olympic favorite with a home-court advantage.

"Yes, she was one of the gold medal contenders, which she did win in the end. I did my best in the fight against her. When she threw me onto the ground, I cried. I wanted to stop, but couldn't.

"My coach [Hershko's uncle, Shani Hershko] gave me a hug and told me he was proud of me and that I did well, that I participated in the Games because I earned it, and I should focus on the future."

Q: Did you replay the game in your head afterward?

"Many times. I thought to myself all the time what I would have done differently. But that just shows that I still have a lot of work to do, and to improve, and next time I will win. I might not even need to wait another three years [until the 2024 Paris Olympics], maybe I will have my chance at the World Championship next year."

Q: Was the team disheartened after no one won a medal in the individual events?

"Each person felt differently. I think we are a good team, and we did not give up for a second. We fought to the end, and everyone did their utmost. But when it comes to competitive sports, it all depends on a given day, and maybe those weren't our best days.

"Our coaches encouraged and prepared us for the group competition, which was the first time the Olympics ever had one. The coaches wanted us to be as best prepared and focused as possible and to win a medal. They said that even though each one of us had had our disappointments, we could come together, as a team, and if each one did our best, we would make history."

That is exactly what happened. On July 31, the national judo team won Israel its second Olympic medal. As part of the group event, Hershko faced off against Italian judoka Alice Bellandi.

"The match was different than any I had done before," she recalled. "The Italian judoka was cautious and patient. She was familiar with my moves. She was also light, under 70 kilos, and I was not used to that.

"The fight was very close. She threw me to the ground twice [three times constitutes a victory.] I remember Shani screaming, 'You are not going to lose this fight! Go now! and as soon as I tried to throw her to the ground, she made a mistake, and I succeeded.

"As team members, we supported each other a lot. In practice, we were very focused. We really wanted to win, and we had our eyes set on the victory.

"When we won the bronze medal, we celebrated and screamed. We were speechless from the excitement, so we just screamed and jumped. Shani told us how proud he was of us, that we had accomplished something extraordinary. We proved to everyone that we are a strong and powerful team, and we will continue to accomplish great things."

Q: Is there anything you would have done differently?

"I gave my all at the games, I did not give up for one second. It was my first Olympics, and I have now tasted what it is like and have returned with a medal. It's not the same as winning one for an individual event, but it's still great.

"Participating in the Olympics was exciting. There were a lot of people in the [Olympics] village, and we met many other athletes. We all ate together in the dining hall.

"All of us, the judoka, were in one apartment, two people per room. I shared a room with Timan [Nilson Levy]."

Altogether, there were 13 judoka on Israel's national team.

Q: You got a tattoo after the Olympics, didn't you?

"I have seven tattoos, the last of which I got a week after returning from Tokyo. I wanted something more than just the Olympic hoops, so the background is Mount Fuji and flowers. For me, the tattoo doesn't only symbolize that I participated in the Olympics, but that I took part in something extraordinary."

Hershko lives at the Wingate Institute near Netanya and often spends time with her parents, who also live in the city. Judo practically ran in the family. Already at the age of four, she joined the judo club founded by her uncle in 1991. Israeli judoka Yarden Gerbi, who won a bronze medal at the Rio Olympics, also trained at this club.

"I was a hyperactive child," Hershko said. "My parents told me that when I was a kid, instead of playing with other girls, I would move tiles from one end of the garden to the other. They enrolled me in a lot of extracurricular activities: basketball, ground gymnastics, dance and judo.

"In the beginning, judo was a fun activity for me. I learned the basic exercises, met friends and had a good time. Over the years, I stopped most of the activities and focused on judo and basketball. By the way, all my cousins were in the same judo classes as me, but I was the only one who stayed. In seventh grade, I had to choose only one of the disciplines, so I decided on judo."

Q: Were there other girls with you?

"Some, but we weren't close. I was a bigger kid, so there were no girls in my weight category. I practiced with other boys or girls that were lighter than me.

"I remember I used to cry every morning before practice because we had to get weighed and I didn't want to. Because of my weight, many times, I had to compete with boys. My mom used to always say, 'It's alright. This is who you are and you have nothing to be ashamed of.' But I did feel different. It was unpleasant.

"I used to go home after practice or from a social event and skip dinner, because someone commented on my weight by saying, 'I can't believe you look like this.' Sometimes, they purposefully addressed me as a man.

"It hurt a lot, but I kept going. Sometimes I told my mom about it because she had a gut feeling that something was wrong, and pressured me to share. I never had a lot of girlfriends. We just weren't interested in the same things. I did not dress like a girl, did not wear makeup or wear earrings. I was a tomboy."

Q: Did you try to change anything?

"No. What could I have changed? I was bullied, but at least I had judo. In 10th grade, when I already knew that I was good at judo, I moved to the Wingate Institute dormitories and found a place that was loving and supportive of all athletes. I made a lot of friends there, of all ages. I was no longer bullied."

Q: What is your relationship like with your body now?

"I still don't accept it 100%, but is there anyone in the 21st century who loves their bodies completely? There is no such thing. But I am definitely more accepting of it now.

"I weighed 100-101 kg. [220 lbs.] in Tokyo. I work with the national team's nutritionist, Miki Madar, and I have a set menu. But if I'm out, and there's food involved, I can call him up and he'll tell me if I can eat it. We are trying to turn body fat into muscles for me to become stronger.

"My family and I love food and celebrations, with pasta and sushi, and all. We love to host, and that involves a lot of cooking, of course."

Hershko conquered the judo world fast.

"When I was 14, I won the Israeli championship for the first time, which is when I understood I had a talent," Hershko said. "I joined the national team, began to train with them and travel to competitions abroad. I understood that this is what I wanted to do."

Q: Was it in any way an obstacle that your uncle is the manager of the team?

"Everyone knows that we are related. A lot of people assume Shani is my dad, but he is actually my uncle. But in any case - he is my coach and I am his apprentice. I am no different than any other athlete. Shani is an amazing coach, but my achievements are my own.

"I work just as hard as anyone else and receive no preferential treatment. And if I mess up, I am reprimanded. Sometimes, Shani is even tougher on me, and it's fine. He has high standards, as any coach training Olympic athletes should."

The first time Hershko participated in an international competition was in 2013, at the European Cup Cadets in Zagreb, Croatia. Fifteen years old at the time, she made it to the semi-finals, narrowly missing the chance to win a bronze medal.

Q: Which athletes inspired you on your journey?

"I drew inspiration from Yarden Gerbi. She is my role model. I strived to become as accomplished as she was. I would also observe the practice of fellow judoka – like Gili Cohen and Shira Rishony – who are on the national team with me now."

The year 2015 was not an easy one for Hershko.

"I got injured a lot," she said. "I was still not strong enough as I did not have a lot of muscle. I barely competed that year. Then Shani gave me the chance of a lifetime and I participated in the European Under-18 Championship in Sofia, [Bulgaria]. No one knew me when I arrived, and out of nowhere − I won.

"I was elated. I won the gold medal, the Israeli flag was hoisted above the stadium, the anthem, it was crazy. It was the first time an Israeli judoka won that championship.

"A month and a half later, at the European Youth Olympics Festival took place in Tbilisi, [Georgia], and by then, everyone knew who I was. I lived up to expectations and reached the final, but unfortunately, I only won a silver medal."

Q: Going back to the times you were in high school. How did you combine judo and your studies?

"My teachers loved me very much, even though I often interrupted the class and talked endlessly. I just couldn't sit still, and I made my classmates laugh. I did not have a lot of confidence, and I was shy, so it took me a long while to open up, but I was a combination of introverted and noisy. Such a dissonance.

"It wasn't until the 11th grade that I was diagnosed with ADHD, so I began to take pills for that. I didn't really want to, because I didn't want anything to control me, but by that time, the SATs were approaching – which was important for me – I said to myself, 'Well, I will take them now and then stop.' And that is exactly what happened – I have taken no medication since."

Q: Were the teachers considerate?

"Very. They always tried to be flexible with me in terms of homework and exams. They knew how important judo was for me and how much I wanted to participate in it."

Q: Tell us what it was like when you found out the Olympics would be postponed.

"It was a shock, but for me, it was good news. We continued to train for the competition. I had an elbow injury that hurt a lot, and in November 2020, I had to have surgery.

"Four months later, I was already competing at the Grand Slam Tel Aviv. I was on a streak of successful competitions, including winning a gold medal at the Antalya Grand Slam last April [in Turkey], in which I qualified for Tokyo.

"I promised myself before the competition that if I won gold, I would jump into a pool. Which I did, in Antalya. There is a recording of it too. The water was freezing!"

Q: Does your family accompany you to competitions?

"The ones in Israel, yes, but abroad not so much. They support me a lot after practice and after events."

Q: How would you describe the way you do judo?

"I do everything in judo. I am right-handed but do moves on the left as well. There is no one exercise that I prefer, I do lots of them, and everything that I do on my right side, I can also do on my left. It gives me an advantage, because I am quick and versatile, and it comes in handy against some opponents."

Q: Besides Yarden Gerbi, is there someone else you look up to?

"Yes, I was very inspired by [former German judoka] Yvonne Bonisch, who was my national team coach between 2017-2020, and now, the coach of the Australian team. She won a medal at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games [in Greece] and was the first woman to coach both men and women. She truly paved the way. When she worked in Israel, she helped me and supported me. She continues to do so today, from afar. I learn a lot from her.

"Judo is my anchor, it is where I feel most like myself. It's an individual sport where everyone is different – the weight is different, the technique, the structure, the ability – and it suits me well, because I do not have to be like everyone else. I am most myself when I am on the mat."

Hershko begins her day at 7 am, packs her bag, has a quick snack with coffee, and begins her training at Wingate Institute.

"I always start off the morning with judo practice. I often have physiotherapy or massage after that. I then have lunch and rest a little, but then practice judo again or lift weights. In between, I can go to the regular gym. This is what my day usually looks like."

Q: Do you have any free time?

"When I do, I go to cafes, I eat out. I love music and watching TV, like 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' or 'Friends.' When I am really exhausted, my friends and I do silly stuff on Twitter and Instagram. I love to make other people laugh and I know that I am funny. It's great to be able to make others laugh."

Hershko also spends her free time with her girlfriend, 21-year-old kayaker Netta Malkinson, who is also preparing to participate in the 2014 Paris Olympics.

"My first phone call after winning the bronze medal was to Netta," Hershko said. "I screamed, 'I cannot believe it! I cannot believe it!,' but she believed in me the whole time."

The two athletes met at the Wingate Institute.

"Netta was doing physiotherapy after an ankle injury and I also spent a lot of time there. We became good friends, and from there, our connection deepened. I came out to my parents and now I feel that everyone accepts me as I am.

"Netta is my first girlfriend. I love a person for his or her character, gender makes no difference to me."

Q: With your busy schedules, do you have time to meet?

"We meet at every available opportunity. We hike together, watch TV together, and spend time with family."

Q: Do your teammates know that you are gay?

"Everyone knows, we are completely transparent. Netta is good friends with everyone on the team."

Q: So, what is your next goal?

"Right now, I am on vacation, but I am already thinking about Paris, but there are goals to achieve even before that. Of course, I want to win gold, and I hope my dedication will help me achieve it."

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The post 'Olympic medal signifies my victory in battles fought on and off the mat' appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

"I still can't comprehend it," a tired Linoy Ashram, a newly minted Olympic champion, says with a smile, shortly after she landed in Israel on Wednesday. Her hometown of Rishon Letzion welcomed her with posters bearing her image, as well as those of Olympic medalists Peter Paltchik and Artem Dolgopyat, all across the city.

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A giant "Welcome Home" was hung on the modest building where the Ashram family resides. The apartment itself is full of flowers, chocolates and balloons reflecting the pride in the first Israeli woman to win a gold medal in rhythmic gymnastics.

"I'm still living the dream," she says. "Only now, slowly, I'm beginning to understand the magnitude of the achievement.

"I came to Tokyo with the goal of giving my all and experiencing the moment and the feeling of being there, at the Olympics. I knew that, if I did well, I could return with some kind of medal, but I didn't imagine what color it would be. The idea that it would be gold didn't enter my head."

Q: What did you feel after the tense moments of waiting for the score of your rival, Russian Dina Averina?

"I cried. I cried with Ayelet [Ashram's trainer] and I cried when I was joined in an interview by my mom and dad, and I cried in my first conversation with my boyfriend. He told me how proud he was of me and how much he loved me. They were amazing moments. I had a big and long hug with Ayelet. How far we had come up to this moment, how much she had held me.

"We were so happy and we are still so happy. At the medal ceremony, when I saw my friends in the Israeli delegation who had stayed, when I heard them applauding me and singing the anthem, it was one of the most moving moments in my life.

"That night, after they awarded the medal, I didn't sleep at all. Maybe I dozed for 40 minutes. The medal was beside me all the time."

Q: Do you believe in God?

"Yes. I went with Ayelet to the Western Wall before we flew to Japan and I placed a note there. I light the candles on Shabbat, fast on Yom Kippur, and I recited 'Shema Yisrael' to myself before every routine."

Two weeks ago, when she had only just landed in Japan, things were not so rosy for Ashram. On the second night for her and the team which accompanied her, while they were still in the training camp in the city of Ichihara, her coach Ayelet Zussman felt that something wasn't right.

"When we arrived in Japan, a week before the competition, we had white nights," Zussman recalls. "That night, I couldn't sleep because of the jet lag, and I felt that Linoy was also awake. 4:30 a.m., I decided to check when she had last been seen on WhatsApp, and I saw that she was online. Twenty minutes later, I saw that she was again on WhatsApp, and I realized that she wasn't able to sleep.

"We went up on the roof of the hotel. The city was spread out before us, the morning was beginning, and we had a heart-to-heart talk, where she told me about all the pressure she was under."

Q: What did she tell you?

"That she was stressed, that she was afraid to disappoint the country and me as well. I calmed her down and I said, 'You don't disappoint me. The path that you took, that we took, up to now, that is what's important. Here you just have to enjoy yourself.' I told her how much I had faith in her, in her ability, in who she is.

"We remembered her successes over the last few years, and from that night I saw that things were released in her. Everything passed. Her functioning improved, she slept well at night, I felt that she calmed down."

The Olympic champion smiles. "Ayelet senses me every moment, she maybe understands me even more than my mother. Without saying a word, she knows that I'm not falling asleep, she knows what to say to me. She is so considerate towards me.

"On other nights as well, she sits with me right up until I fall asleep. She's really special. Overall, I don't know how I would have got through the corona period without her. I'm sure that it would have been far more difficult to get through this year, the postponement of the Olympics, which basically meant doing another year of training, and competitions, until the pinnacle."

After four days in Ichihara, they arrived at a four-bedroom flat in the Olympic Village in Tokyo. Four women stayed there: Ashram, the brilliant Nicole Zilkman, who also reached the finals, Zussman, and Ela Samofalov, Zilkman's coach. A united team, loving and supportive of one another. Each of them had their own room. They were together when they wanted, and when they needed to, they retired to their bedroom, to be alone for a little.

When they arrived in Tokyo, Zussman enlisted more mental support for Ashram, this time from Ofek (21), her boyfriend.

"I tried, as much as I could, to isolate Linoy from all the noise surrounding her," she explains. "But I knew how important her mobile phone was to her, through which she received support from her amazing family, from her friends and from her boyfriend, who is really salt of the earth.

"I asked him to set an alarm, so that he would call Linoy every night at 1:30 a.m. Israeli time. In Tokyo it was 7:30 in the morning, so that's how she started the day, with a 'good morning' from her boyfriend and a big, sweet smile. I knew how much good it would do for Linoy, and he flowed with me and was brilliant."

As the qualifiers began, Ashram had an error in her first routine with the hoop.

"Ayelet knew exactly what to say to me so that I would focus again," Ashram, who finished in 15th place, climbing to third place by the end of the qualifiers, recalls. She told me 'Linoy, calm down, the goal here is only to reach the final, only the top 10. You have another three routines to get through, to do everything despite what happened.' Afterwards I felt completely focused and full of purpose, and I didn't think of anything apart from the routines.

"I continued only to do my best, with the goal of succeeding in reaching the final."

Q: What did you do in the evening between the qualifiers and the final?

"Myself, the Russian twins and the Belarussian gymnasts stayed in the arena to train. It was only us. I don't know why they came; I came to go over my routines. Afterward I ate dinner, and I spoke with Ayelet about what happened in the qualifiers and about how I can get up to give my maximum in the final. We spoke about how important is to get up with new and good energies."

Eyes on the prize

The morning of the final, Ashram and Zussman woke in good spirits.

"We put on fun and rhythmic songs, we ate breakfast, including pineapple, which was the tastiest thing that I ate there, danced and were happy," Ashram says. "We were together all the time, Nicole, her trainer Ela, Ayelet and myself. I really reached the final in the best spirits possible."

Q: Did you go into the final with the goal of winning the gold?

"No. And I didn't feel like I was on my way to the gold medal. I knew that there was the Russian and the Belarussian, and that every time I was first in the rankings, I knew that it wasn't over.

"During the routines, I understood that I would get a medal, and after the ribbon routine I knew that I was in first place, and then it was insanely stressful. The waiting was one of the tensest moments in my life, and they played music with drumming in the background. But I knew that no matter what, I had an Olympic medal. I was third in many competitions, after the Russians, so the very act of winning a medal was an achievement and I only waited to see the result.

"The tension was enormous. Nicole whispered in my ear: 'We fulfilled a dream, it doesn't matter what the score is, you've won a medal and you've done your best.' We are always like that, we lift each other up, and over the course of the competition, we were a united foursome, together with the coaches. There was never such a strong connection, both between coaches and between gymnasts. We help one another, and Ela, Nicole's coach, also lifted me after the hoop routine in the qualifiers."

Q: What did you think after you dropped the ribbon in the last routine? Did the thought "I ruined it all" go through your head?

"I was pessimistic. I felt that perhaps it would harm my final score and drop me down a bit in the rankings, but I continued because that's who I'm, I give my maximum even when something doesn't go right and there's a hitch. On some level, it even resets me, and that's also what happened with the ribbon. Within a second, I succeeded in returning to myself. After the routine Ayelet said to me that my difficulty level was really high and that the mistake shouldn't harm my score too much, and she was right."

Q: Your main rivals, Russian twins Dina and Arina Averina, didn't take the loss so well. Did you speak with them?

"At the end of the final I approached Dina, who finished second, and I wanted to congratulate her. But she was crying and was in no state to talk. Since then, there wasn't an opportunity to talk or to get in touch at all. At competitions we say hello and wish good luck to one another, and after the competition we congratulate one another at the end."

Q: What do you think about the criticism from Russia, the claims about the judges and the appeal?

"I don't deal with what others are saying. I made my achievement, and it's mine together with Ayelet and the professional team. Whoever wants, they can say what they want, I'm happy with what I achieved.

"In the World Championships in 2018, Dina's ribbon fell, and she still beat me. We didn't say a word. That's the judging, and that's the Olympics. That is, the fairest judging there is. I also heard already that Dina said it's not my fault."

Q: Did you get ugly responses? Antisemitism? Any types of accusations?

"I don't know why it has to reach the level of antisemitism. There are people who think one way and there are people who think another way."

Q: Have you seen the Russian Tiktok challenge which tries to ridicule you?

"I haven't seen it. It's happening because they're not used to it. Their gymnasts always win, and suddenly it happened. Maybe they thought it was in their pocket."

Q: Do you think you proved yourself to those who didn't believe in you?

"I think so."

Q: Before your competition, did you watch Artem Dolgopyat's gold?

"Of course. We sat together in training watched Artem's final, and when he won we jumped up and went wild. We called to congratulate him straight afterwards, it was so great to know that someone had succeeded in winning the gold. We knew that he was capable, he just needed to perform his best routine."

Q: Did his medal encourage you?

"Yes. The thought went through my head that I wanted it too, that I already wanted to compete. Artem had competed, he had already experienced it, and we still hadn't been in the Olympic Village, because we only got there on August 2^nd."

Q: Was there a change in the rules that helped you reach your peak?

"From 2017 the rules began to change for the benefit of working with the apparatus. The faster you are, your difficulty level increases, and you can meet the requirements more. Before that, there was a restriction on elements in the routine. In terms of jumping, it was always possible in the past to do more jumps, but in the past, we didn't think of doing it."

Q: And what about the music in the different routines? Is it really chosen so carefully?

"In Tokyo we chose the song Big in Japan, because of the host country of course, and Hava Nagila because of its significance and the fact that its synonymous with Israel. It's a song I've worked with for a year. Apart from that I'm a fan of Beyonce and I had two of her songs. By the way, regarding external appearance, for competitions I do my own makeup and I do my own hair."

Linoy already came to Tokyo with a wardrobe full of medals: silver and bronze medals from the 2018 and 2019 World Championships, a gold, silver and bronze medal from the 2020 European Championships, and bronze medals from the 2017 European Championships – to name a few.

The ones who helped her the whole way are her parents, Oren (49), a standing IDF soldier, and Hedva, a kindergarten teacher, her sisters Chen (25) and Hila (9), and her brother Idan (24).

"My mother believed in me my whole life," she says, "When she brought me to the gym for the first time, she said to my trainer, 'You'll see, this will be the Israeli Nadia Comaneci.' The coach thought that my mother didn't understand, because Comaneci was an instrumental gymnast, but my mother knew that. She only said it because of her achievements.

"When I was 13, I went through a crisis. I'd had enough and I quit, and I remember that suddenly I didn't understand why I needed all this. I felt that I deserved to be someone different. I decided that I wanted to move to swimming, but after a month I was bored of spending all day in the water. I felt that something was lacking, that it's not what I want, so I went to my mother and cried for her to take me back to gymnastics."

Q: In Tokyo, were you in close contact with your parents?

"I tried to send them pictures and to speak with them. I prefer pictures on WhatsApp and not voice calls, because they understand me, and before competitions, they give me space and try to disturb me as little as possible. They are afraid that it will prevent me from focusing but when I send something they immediately respond."

Q: Would you have preferred that they would have been with you there? And in general, that competitions would take place in front of a live audience?

"Yes, a competition with fans is more fun. But I was concentrated on myself and the competition, so it didn't change me. Of course, if it had been possible, I would have wanted my family coming to watch.

"I didn't think my father would come to the European Championships. He took me to the airport when he was upset, and then he discovered that they opened half a stand and he called to organize tickets. After two days, just like that, my dad, mum and sister Hila suddenly landed there."

Q: Your family couldn't go to Tokyo, but the media, who assembled at their home during the final, captured their excitement.

"The night before the final we didn't sleep, nor the night before that," her father Oren says. "We sat a lot watching television, we did sports and we tried everything to deal with the pressure and to calm the nerves.

"Before the final I sent Linoy one message: 'We believe in you and love you, do what you know to do and whatever happens will happen.' The Olympics was always her dream, but until eleventh grade we said to her 'first of all studies.' When she reached eleventh grade Hedva said to me "Oren, let go. Let her do what she loves,' and in eleventh grade I let go, I let her do what she was good at."

Q: Did you worry when she dropped the hoop in the qualifiers?

"We were very anxious. I didn't worry, I thought that she was stressed and we didn't know exactly what she was going through, but she improved very quickly, got back to herself and her smile and was enjoying herself in the arena."

Q: What did you feel while watching the final?

"We were stressed, but when I saw that she was in good spirits I knew that she was going to win a medal. We didn't know which medal, but we knew she would achieve something. We understand our girl even with our eyes closed.

"Now I'm euphoric. Calm, and I have time for myself. There's time until the next Olympics, life is good. If Linoy decides to continue, we'll fly to the next Olympics. Of course, even now I would have flown if it had been possible, even at the cost of catching corona."

Q: You obviously also supported her financially.

"We were always there to support her, to take her to training and fetch her – myself, Hedva, grandma and grandpa and my son, like a taxi firm. We bought the costumes, we took out loans and did everything under the heading "Linoy."

"Before she was successful at an international level, and the union took care of her and sponsors took interest, it was all on us. From six years old until she was 14, for eight years, we paid for everything: clothes for competitions, flights and hotels. Everything costs thousands of shekels. In short, we spent a lot of money, hundreds of thousands of shekels."

Q: Did she ever think about quitting? That maybe it isn't worth it?

"No. She always wanted to do gymnastics, with or without injuries. She wanted to continue at any cost, nothing bothered her. Six weeks before the European Championships, she pulled off a routine with a torn meniscus. Two days before she returned to competition and won a medal. That's her stubbornness, maybe it's from me."

Ashram still hasn't had a chance to go through the thousands of messages she received on social media, and just like what happened with the bronze medallist Avishag Samberg, the number of people following her on Instagram has soared since the victory.

"Until the final I had 64,000 followers, now I have 180,000 and it's really fun for me," she smiles. "It really moved me to speak with President Herzog and Prime Minister Bennett, and to receive thousands of messages and shares. I also saw the greeting from Shalom Michaelshwilli in the style of the Russian coach, and it made me laugh.

"This attention is nice and it shows that many people know me, that I'm in their consciousness and that they appreciate me and are pleased by my success. On the other hand, I'm also shy, and it doesn't suit me to be famous. I like the anonymity and the privacy."

Q: Is that why you blocked your Instagram to responses?

"I blocked mainly because they said to me that it would be better if not everyone was able to follow me. Now I have to approve everyone who wants to follow me and I have thousands of messages and requests waiting for me. Does someone want to come and approve instead of me?"

Linoy gives special credit for her achievement to her coach, Zussman (42), and the whole professional team, which includes her personal manager Ophir Even and the physiotherapist Natali Bertler (36), who have accompanied Ashram and Zilman over the last few years on a daily basis.

"Ayelet was everything for me," Ashram says, "she did everything for me and she gives her all to this relationship. The relationship between a coach and gymnast becomes a relationship like a second mother, or a big sister. I'm not at home most of the time, but with her, so she is the first person that turn to, and she helped with everything."

"Linoy began the qualifying stages very badly," she explains, returning for a moment to the professional side of things. "She failed in the hoop apparatus, but that didn't surprise me at all. I knew that it could happen to her at the beginning, because it also happened in the past, but I also knew that she would recover from it. Yes, when she was in 15th place it stressed me out, but I told her: 'You're Linoy Ashram, and you're capable of more. It's money time and you can do it.

"I wasn't angry with her, because I knew that it would lift her and she would stand up straight, sharpen her senses and get back to herself. Even before the competition I knew that we had created a big gap with the other competitors, thanks to the difficulty level Linoy was carrying out in her routines, and I had no doubt that she would be in the final.

"After the hoop routine, Linoy rose up like a giant and proved from what kind of champion's material she was formed. I was happy because the goal was the final and I knew that from there everything was open. At the end of the qualifiers she stayed to train, ate and went to sleep at ten at night. I peeked into her room to see that she was really sleeping."

Q: How did you feel after the victory?

"We both cried, we looked at one another and spoke with our eyes, without words. I said to her basically: 'You did it!' She looked at me and said with her eyes, "I'm an Olympic champion!" We were on cloud nine.

"Linoy is a super-sportswoman, what she has done is so fantastic. After her bad start in the qualifiers, she proved what a great sportswoman she is, and even more than that."

"In the final I was calm, because I saw that Linoy was sharp and focused. She did excellent routines with a high difficulty level."

"And I'll tell you something else. We prepared for every scenario, for every fall – God forbid! – in one of the routines and how to get up immediately and continue. But when Linoy lost her ribbon in the last routine, and I saw how she immediately got up and continued her amazing routine, I understood just how phenomenal she is. It was such an amazing and moving sight. For a moment I worried that she would say to herself 'I lost the medal' and that it would impact her, but then I saw her spectacular execution after the error and I knew I had a champion."

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Ashram's journey to Olympic gold also received a significant boost from her sponsors – door market giant Rav Bariach, Bank Hapoalim, global hygiene products brand Always and sports colossal Adidas, which were joined by foods maker Talma, choosing Linoy as their rep for the brand "Cornflakes of Champions."

"All my sponsors always congratulated me, wished me success and asked me if I needed something. I was really lucky to get them," she says.

'I'm proud of my origins'

Between the training and the competitions, and especially with the relationship and the strict nutritional regime, Ashram doesn't have much time for hobbies or other pleasures in life, but she really tries.

Q: What is your guilty pleasure?

"Now I eat chocolate, but I still have to keep an eye on my weight and my figure. Now I can eat a few more things, but I'll still watch myself. I don't want to get fat or to swell up. At the moment I'm on a break and on holiday until I decide what's next. For the moment I'm taking a couple of weeks off, and then I'll speak with Ayelet. It's too early to speak about the Paris Olympics in 2024, I'm still experiencing the moment from Tokyo."

Q: Do you have time for a social life? To meet with friends? To watch television?

"Until now I was deep into training and the Olympics, but I would sometimes go out. During holidays, I travel in Israel with my boyfriend and with my friends or watch television shows. I really like Grey's Anatomy; I binged it and watched all 17 seasons."

Q: Not everyone knows that you have a boyfriend. Do people chat you up on social media?

"It happens, but I don't answer them."

Q: In the world of gymnastics, they call you the "Black Panther." How did you get that nickname?

"When I was 14, I took part in a competition, and one of the support staff of an Azerbaijani sportsman called me the 'Black Panther,' because everyone apart from me was white and Russian. He said that I was the first to arrive at the hall and the last to leave, and I really was there all day and night. When they told me about the nickname, I laughed."

Q: Does a nickname that reflects on the color of your skin bother you?

"Definitely not. I love the color of my skin. I'm proud of my origins, the place where I'm from and in who I'm. My father has roots in Yemen and my mother is of Greek origin, and both of them were born in Israel."

"I show my Israeliness and I love that I'm different from other gymnasts, that I have something different in me, something refreshing, different. My uniqueness also finds expression in the color of my skin and my look, because it's clear that I'm not Russian, and I think that it proves even more that, despite not being Russian, I'm succeeding in making achievements. Both in Israel and abroad I haven't encountered racism, only sympathy.

"I love my nickname and see a black panther as a strong and warlike animal, an animal who doesn't give up, who is always found above everyone and, if needed, can also devour."

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Linoy Ashram is a household name in the world of gymnastics, and her most recent accomplishment is winning gold at the European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships.

A Belarusian gymnast was leading the race, and Ashram had to receive a whopping score of 26.500 points in order to win first place. 

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"I knew I had to perform a perfect routine, and that is what I did," Ashram told Israel Hayom. "When my score appeared on the screen, 26.500 points, I could not believe it.  My coach Ayelet and I cried. One of the most emotional moments of the competition was when I stood at the top of the podium, sang along to the Israeli anthem, and saw the Israeli flag waving above."

The year 2020 has been a challenging one for all gymnasts as the coronavirus disrupted training schedules that are so crucial for professional athletes. 

"We had nowhere to train for the European Championships because of the lockdowns," Ashram explained.

"The Israel Gymnastics Federation, the Olympic Committee of Israel, and the Elite Sports Department Administration came up with a solution and allowed our team to live at The Wingate Institute. For two months, we trained, ate, and slept there. That is what allowed me to prepare for the competition. If I didn't have a place to train, I don't know how I could have competed."

The routine that is usually presented at the Championships gets adjusted based on participation in competitions that take place throughout the year. In 2020 due to the pandemic, there was no such opportunity. 

"I am sure that if there were preliminary competitions, my routine would have looked completely different. Perhaps it would even be better," Ashram said. 

"Usually, when I go from the qualifiers to the finals, Ayelet and I make corrections to the routine, sometimes we replace certain exercises altogether. This year we could not do that. The competition lasted only one day.

"Previously, by the time we arrived at the finals, judges were already familiar with each gymnast's routine. This year they had no way of knowing it ahead of time, and we saw how focused they were during each performance."

Q: Did you enjoy participating in the European Championships?

"It was a lot of fun to be competing again. I had been waiting for this for so long. Since the World Championships in September 2019, I did not compete at all. Before the coronavirus, I used to fly to two competitions a month.

"I had a good feeling before the European Championships. I didn't know if I was going to win first place, but I was confident that I knew the routine perfectly and was ready to perform it."

Besides disrupting training routines, the coronavirus also led to the cancellation of all gymnastics competitions and the 2020 Olympic Games.

Q: How did you feel when you found out that the Olympics have been postponed? 

"I found out about it back in March when I was preparing for the Olympics. I was very disappointed because I felt physically and mentally ready for it. Moreover, I wanted to compete and had been waiting for it for so long.

"With time, I understood that this gives me an extra year to train hard and perfect my routine. I am choosing to look at it positively."

As a child, Ashram was exceptionally energetic, and her parents chose to channel her energy into gymnastics. Ashram recalls that her journey got off to a bumpy start.  

"I immediately realized that I was different than other gymnasts. I was not from Eastern Europe, as most gymnasts were at the time. At first, I was treated differently, and I noticed coaches gave more attention to my Russian teammates. They believed in them more.

"Perhaps that is what pushed me to reach the level I am at today. I remember thinking to myself, 'They don't believe in me? Then I am going to work as hard as I can to prove them wrong.'

"When I was a child, my feet used to be stiff; I could not point. I used to stretch for hours on end at home while watching TV. Within a year, my legs turned supple. My coaches were shocked.

"On top of the hours of training with the coaches, I used to train a lot at home. When I won the Israel Youth Championship in 2014, my coaches finally started to realize that I was, in fact, a talented gymnast."

According to Ashram, she only realized how truly talented she was at the 2014 Championships in Baku, from which she returned with two bronze medals.

"Someone on the Azerbaijani team gave me the nickname 'black panther.' He said that I was always the first to arrive at the training hall and always the last one to leave. He was right, I was there all the time, day and night. 

"Since then, many people used the phrase 'black panther' to describe me," Asham laughs.

Coach Ayelet Zussman recalls that Ashram was a determined child. "Mental strength is key when it comes to success in gymnastics," she said. "As a child, Linoy exhibited a lot of determination, and thanks to her hard work, she succeeded." 

"We have a lot in common," Zussman added. "We are the only native Israelis in the industry, we both have roots from Yemen, and our personalities are similar.

"We have also learned to work with each other. In the past, I used to insist on certain movements because I knew Linoy was capable of doing them, but today she trusts me and even develops elements for her own routine. Linoy lives and breathes gymnastics."

"Ayelet and I trust each other very much," Ashram added.

Q: We've all heard the stories of how challenging and sometimes even gruesome gymnastics training can be. What has your experience been?

"Gymnastics training is tough, and some days it can get too much. That is part of the sport. Nevertheless, our work is based on mutual respect."

Q: How do you deal with stress during international championships?

"Stress makes me perform better. It gives me motivation. I know that all of Israel stands behind me in support. They call me their hope. I only focus on the fact that they want me to succeed."

On her path to fulfilling her gymnastics aspirations, Ashram had to give up one major aspect of her life, going to school. 

"I haven't spent much time in school since 9th grade. I would occasionally come in for exams. Nevertheless, my grades were pretty good because I studied with private tutors, sometimes early in the morning or late at night. My high school helped me a lot too. They sent me materials to study and adapted their tests specially for me."

Ashram has also completed her service in the IDF.

Q: Which piece of equipment do you love the most?

"Each one is different, so I can't choose the one I love the most. They each require a different kind of music and movements. 

"With ball routines, I prefer long movements, and all the slides and transitions. It is usually accompanied by romantic music. With clubs, the routine is happy and upbeat. Hoop routines are more dramatic and powerful."

Ashram has won 47 medals in the last 15 years, including 11 medals from world championships. She also created a new element at the latest European Championships, a sequence of five consecutive jumps in the club routine.

"I always knew I could do it," she shared. "I am the only one who can perform this five-jump streak, so that gave me a very high score."

Since returning from the European Championships, Ashram quarantined at her parents' home in Rishon Lezion, at the end of which she immediately got back to training.

"We are preparing for the next two major championships, the Tokyo Olympics and next year's European Championships in Bulgaria."

Ashram used to be a shy child but has gained more confidence throughout the years.

"My confidence has gone up, and I am much more confident in what I am capable of, although some of the shyness remained. People say I am modest, but I am a different person when I compete than in regular life. When I compete, I am a fighter, but when I meet new people, for example, I am more of a quiet type. I also don't really like to talk about myself."

In December, Ashram spoke in front of thousands of young attendees at the annual Girls Week in Israel.

"The feedback I received from the girls really moved me. They told me I am their role model, that they want to be like me.

"Every day I receive hundreds of messages on Instagram and Facebook, little girls tell me they are my fans, or parents ask me to record congratulatory videos for their children, which I often do. It is exciting to be a role model."

Q: And who are your role models?

"In sports, Neta Rivkin. She is a retired rhythmic gymnast, a three-time Olympian. Only three gymnasts in the world achieved that. Outside of sports, I am a fan of Gal Gadot, who is a true wonder woman in terms of determination and strength."

Q: Do rhythmic gymnasts have strict diets?

"We don't starve, that I can say for sure. We eat all the things we are allowed to eat, protein and carbs in moderation, food with lots of vitamins. I maintain a healthy diet, and I know what is right for me and what I should eat in order to be healthy."

Q: What is your favorite treat?

"I love my mom's homemade schnitzel or the schnitzels that I make. They are definitely my favorite."

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Q: What do you do in your rare spare time?

"On my days off, I like to hike, to be outdoors, in nature and by the water. When I'm home, I enjoy watching romantic comedies and TV series. Now I am watching Grey's Anatomy.

"When I want to relax, I go for a walk and listen to music. When I stayed at the Wingate Institute before the Championships and couldn't leave the premises, I used to go for walks around the building and listen to music. Time would fly by."

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