Israeli judoka Sagi Muki, a former world champion, was eliminated on Tuesday in the round of 16 at the Paris Olympics. Muki won his first match but then lost to South Korea's Lee Jun-hwan by an ippon in the golden score.
Reflecting on his relationship with his coach, Oren Smadga, whose son Omer fell in battle in Gaza, Muki said: "I've been with Oren since I was 5 years old; he's like a second father to me. The recent tragedy deeply affected me. In the first days after learning what happened, I couldn't find the strength to train, but I pulled myself together and turned this into motivation. For Omer and for all the brave soldiers, it was important to me not to give up."
Regarding his future, Muki shared: "I'm considering spending some time with my family; For over 12 years, I haven't dedicated time to them. I have a young child, and soon another one, so I will spend some time with my family, recharge and figure out my path forward. Summarize my career? I’m not making any declarations."
"What helped me achieve all my successes is my attitude, my way, who I am. Ultimately, I was raised with values of perseverance. People thought I wouldn't be able to return to judo - I came back and reached new heights. If there's a young child watching us, they should know that we all go through tough moments. We are strong when we overcome them. I put my heart on the mat, and for me, that’s the most important thing. Anyone who has a dream – don't give up on it."
Gili Sharir also was eliminated on Tuesday in Paris, losing in her first match. As expected, she lost to Olympic champion Clarisse Agbegnenou.
"I tried to execute a move which, at least for me, had no score for either of us, but the judges saw it differently," Sharir said after the match. "That's judo, that's the sport, and that’s what’s beautiful about it. There’s nothing I can do about it now.
"It's frustrating because I knew that as the match progressed, my chances of winning increased. I really believed I could beat her, in front of the crowd and everything. And that was half the battle. You saw how it ended, it’s a shame," she said.