Dim Amor

This impressive achievement highlights the tremendous potential in Israeli sports and brings honor to the nation!

Matan Iglitzki, a 22-year-old Israeli athlete, achieved a remarkable feat at the World Beach Sambo Championships held in the Dominican Republic. Iglitzki won the silver medal in the under-71 kg weight category, becoming the vice world champion in this discipline.

On his way to the medal, Iglitzki successfully competed against opponents from Guatemala, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States. In the final match, he faced a Russian competitor, considered one of the world's leading figures in Sambo. Despite his great effort, Iglitzki lost this bout but managed to secure the respectable second place.

Sambo is a martial art originating in the Soviet Union, combining elements of wrestling and judo. In Beach Sambo, unlike traditional Sambo, bouts are exceptionally short, lasting only 20 to 30 seconds. Any scoring result awards the winner of the bout.

Shai Geisinger, the General Manager of the Israel Sambo Federation, expressed his joy about the achievement to Channel 5: "My heart is full of joy that we managed to participate in the competition despite the great distance, and I am filled with pride in Matan, who demonstrated exemplary fights and once again succeeded in ascending the winners' podium at the World Championships". Geisinger expressed his deep gratitude to the Eilat Association for its unwavering support throughout the journey.

Channel 5 was also informed that Arik Kaplan, President of the Eilat Association, added: "Even at the ends of the earth, Eilat's athletes continue to climb to the peak of achievements. Matan, you have brought great honor to our country, and we are confident that you will continue to do so in the future and at the 2025 World Games".

Matan Iglitzki himself responded to the achievement: "I am happy to finish the World Sambo Championships in second place and with the title of Vice World Champion for the third time in my life". He thanked his personal coach, Shai Geisinger, who has been with him since the age of 4, and the broader professional team that supported him, including national team coach Pavel Musin, fitness coach Asaf Sitbon, and Sergei Zhuravitsky and Andrey Zhuravitsky for their professional and personal support.

Iglitzki emphasized the importance of the support he received from the Eilat Association, an Israeli association for non-Olympic competitive sports, saying: "My goal was to place the flag as high as possible on Moroccan soil, and I'm proud that I succeeded in doing so".

The Israel Sambo Federation stated: "Matan Iglitzki, a champion in the arena! A champion in spirit!".

Matan Iglitzki reported to the "Maakav" system:

"The competition held last year took place in the Dominican Republic, where the order of contestants was as follows: Guatemala, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States, and Russia.

However, this year the competition was held in the Kingdom of Morocco, facing a hostile audience that continuously jeered, and the order of contestants was as follows: France, the Netherlands, Morocco, and Spain.

"The final match was against a rival from Spain, and to my great disappointment, I did not receive the score I rightfully deserved. I am certain that I emerged victorious from this match. It would have been fitting for the 'Hatikvah' anthem to be played in Morocco, likely for the first time in its history.

However, due to a shameful judging decision, victory was snatched away from me."

Iglitzki's impressive achievement serves as another bright spot in the landscape of Israeli international sports, highlighting the great potential inherent in sports that don't necessarily receive much media attention. His success demonstrates the great importance of investment and support for young and promising athletes, even in disciplines not included in the Olympic Games.

It can be stated with certainty that Matan Iglitzki's achievement at the World Beach Sambo Championships is a source of national pride and emphasizes the necessity of investing in competitive sports in all its varieties and layers. This is another significant step towards placing Israel on the world map in diverse and challenging sports disciplines.

Main photo: From Facebook page: Matan Iglitzki