Israeli athlete Asaf Yasur on Thursday clinched a gold medal in taekwondo at the 2024 Paralympic Games being held in Paris, France.
Yasur, 22, currently holds the top world ranking in men's para-taekwondo and is a two-time world champion. He triumphed over Turkey's Ali Can Ozcan, who is ranked second globally, in the men's -58 kg gold medal match.
The match against Ozcan, Yasur’s final, was particularly intense, with multiple lead changes. Yasur ultimately secured the victory with a 19-12 win, earning the coveted gold medal.
"I said to myself, 'I will fight for the gold.' I finished and now I have this medal around my neck," Yasur said after the match, adding, "One thing interested me: my team, my preparation, my family. We both fought and the best won. It's been almost 10 years since my injury. In recent years, I've been an athlete and I've set myself the goal of being the best taekwondo fighter I can be."
President Isaac Herzog spoke to Yasur after Thursday’s victory and congratulated him. "Dear Asaf. What a pleasure to hear from you! You may remember that in 2015, I sent you a prayer for recovery after your severe and terrible injury, and since then you have been an inspiration to me. Today, as you said, you gave an enormous gift to the State of Israel, you gave an enormous gift to many wounded from the war and many who were wounded from the terrible terror, you gave them hope because they saw you get a gold medal now, in a very difficult sport. You are wonderful, keep it up! You moved us all.”
Yasur thanked the President in tears, saying, "Thank you for the kind words, I appreciate it very much."
At the age of 13, Yasur lost both of his forearms after a severe injury caused by contact with a high-voltage electrical cable. Despite this life-altering accident, he began training in Paralympic Taekwondo three years later.
By 19, Yasur had already won a bronze medal in the -54 kg weight class at Israel's national championship for adults. Despite missing qualifying for the Tokyo Games, Yasur embarked on a successful campaign that ultimately secured his place at the Paris Games.