​ (Communicated by the President's Spokesperson)

President Reuven Rivlin a short time ago this evening (Tuesday, 9 August 2016) spoke by telephone with Yarden Gerbi, who claimed Israel's first medal of the Olympic Games in Rio when she won bronze in the (Under 73kg) Judo competition.
 
President Rivlin told her, "All the people here in Israel are excited together with you. We all held our breath and prayed for your success but at the end of the day the one who did it was you, you are simply our champion. Well done. Today you are our heroine."
 
He asked that she pass on his wishes to colleagues on the Israeli team.