Illustrative image of a Judo fight. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

JNS.org – An Israeli judo competitor, Sagi Muki, on Friday won the gold medal in the European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan, by defeating Georgian opponent Nugzari Tatalashvli in the 73-kilogram (161-pound) weight class. The win marks Israel’s first gold medal in that competition.

“I managed to grab the opponent after he made a mistake, and I scored an ippon (the highest score a competitor can achieve in a Japanese martial arts contest),” Muki told Sport TV. “I wasn’t in a rush, and I took advantage of the opportunity that I got. I’m ecstatic.”

For his victory, Muki will be awarded 40,000 shekels (about $10,500) from the Israeli Olympic Committee.