Dim Amor
Israel's beach sambo team recorded an impressive achievement at the World Championships held in Singapore, winning two precious medals – silver and bronze. The Israeli delegation demonstrated a high level against the world's top athletes in the sport and once again put Israel on the global sambo map.
Matan Iglitzki from Hapoel Bat Yam, in the 71-kilogram category, led the Israeli achievement by winning the prestigious silver medal. Iglitzki, a protégé of coach Shai Geizinger, displayed an exceptional level throughout the tournament. On his way to the final, he defeated, among others, the fresh 2025 European champion in sport sambo, Georgia's representative, as well as a Brazilian opponent. In the final bout, he lost to Russia's representative, but his impressive performance secured him the silver medal.
Iglitzki's achievement takes on additional significance in light of the heavy personal challenge he faced. The athlete recently lost his mother, and his success at the World Championships represents an extraordinary expression of determination, courage, and willpower. In a moving post he published from Singapore, Iglitzki wrote: "For the fourth time in my life, I'm happy that I managed to give my all after a complex journey. There's nothing like the feeling of raising the flag on the other side of the world, knowing that there are people waiting for you at home. There's one mother who provided the strength".
The second medal came through Itai Pshinsky from the Otzma Rishon LeZion club, in the 88-kilogram category, who won the bronze medal. Pshinsky, a protégé of coach Pavel Musin, defeated an opponent from Nepal among others on his way to the podium. He later lost to Romania's representative who won the gold medal, but in the battle for third place, he managed to overcome an athlete from the Netherlands and won the bronze medal.
The third competitor in the delegation was Vladi Polotsky in the open weight category, the youngest team member at only 18 years old. Polotsky, who is also Shai Geizinger's protégé, won his first bout against an opponent from Nepal but later succumbed to the Netherlands' representative and failed to advance to the next stage. Despite the disappointment, the young Israeli's performance left a positive impression and testified to the promising future of Israeli sambo.
Shai Geizinger, CEO of the Israel Sambo Union, expressed pride in the achievements: "We are very proud of the Israeli delegation's accomplishments. This is further proof of the high level of sambo in Israel, and of the athletes' perseverance, professionalism, and fighting spirit. Matan Iglitzki deserves special recognition for his achievement under challenging personal circumstances – this is a story of true inspiration".
Words of appreciation also came from the "Eilat" Federation. Erick Kaplan, President and CEO of the "Eilat" Federation – the Israeli Federation for Non-Olympic Competitive Sports, said: "We congratulate the sambo team's achievements at the World Championships. These achievements are a clear expression of the professional and value-based work carried out in this field over the years. Matan, Itai, and Vladi are role models of excellence, willpower, and perseverance. We are very proud of them and continue to stand behind them – both in competitions and in their personal journey as leading athletes in the State of Israel".
The responses from Erick Kaplan and Mr. Shai Geizinger were conveyed and published in various media outlets.
In the emotional post published by Iglitzki, he honored his coach Shai Geizinger: "Huge thanks to my coach Shai Geizinger. This coming September we'll celebrate 20 years together, and I'm happy that we managed to write another chapter in this crazy journey called life, and returned with another medal from the World Championships, for the fourth time." He also acknowledged the support of the "Eilat" Federation: "The tremendous support and high spirit you provide is what makes the difference".
The medals won by the Israelis in Singapore represent a continuation of the tradition of achievements in Israeli sambo, and as Iglitzki noted, this is the fourth time he has won a medal at a World Championship. The achievements at the Beach Sambo World Championships in Singapore prove that Israeli sambo continues to conquer peaks on the international stage, while demonstrating a high professional level and authentic Israeli fighting spirit.
Iglitzki summarized his feelings in words that testify to his strong mental approach: "It's not always possible to understand 'how' and especially 'why' things happen in our lives, especially those that pull the ground out from under our feet. Apparently, there's no need to delve into searching for reasons for things over which we have no control. What's important is to make use of the remaining time and keep moving forward".
Photo from Matan Iglitzki's Facebook page, used in accordance with Section 27a of the Copyright Law
