Israel’s Artem Dolgopyat Wins Gold in Artistic Gymnastics at Tokyo Olympics
Olympic gold medalist Artem Dolgopyat of Israel celebrates on the podium with his medal, Ariake Gymnastics Centre; Tokyo, Japan; August 1, 2021. REUTERS/Mike Blake
i24 News – Israel claimed its second ever gold medal in Olympics history on Sunday in Tokyo with Artem Dolgopyat’s winning performance in the artistic gymnastics men’s floor exercise final.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett congratulated the Ukrainian-born Israeli on winning the country’s first gold medal since Athens in 2004 and the first ever medal in gymnastics.
“Thank you Artem! You made history blue and white. Congratulations to Artem Dolgopyat on winning a gold medal now at the Tokyo Olympics,” Bennett said on Twitter. “Huge pride and great excitement for all the people of Israel. The song of hope will be played immediately in the gym in Tokyo.”
It was the third overall medal for Israel so far in Tokyo. The country nabbed two bronze medals in mixed judo and women’s taekwondo under 49 kg weight class.
Also on Sunday, Israel’s baseball team kept their medal hopes alive with a 12-5 win over Mexico in an elimination game at Yokohama, Japan.
Windsurfer Gal Fridman won Israel’s only other gold medal with his performance in the men’s sailboard competition.