A few days ago Ariel Akun, a 9-year-old resident of Mazkeret Batya, won an international gold medal in a karate competition to which he had joined almost at the last minute. He and his mother Nofer spoke to Arutz Sheva - Israel National News about the experience.
Ariel recounts the competition which included both moments of stress but also not a few moments of joy and success "When I saw that not everyone succeeded it gave me the desire to fight and when I got into the ring I realized that it was not really stressful," he says.
His opponents in the competition came from Germany and the Czech Republic. Ariel describes the progression of the competition from the preliminary rounds to the final round where the winner advances to the next bout. Ariel described his victories and lone defeat and also relates the details of the bout in which he felt best, that against the German opponent.
Ariel entered the karate world some five years ago. International competitions were not his goal. His career began thanks to the class in which he participates and the aegis of his school which his mother, Nofer, is careful to mention.
On the moment he stepped up to the podium, grasping the Israeli flag just before receiving his medal, Ariel says: "The feeling is amazing. I didn't understand the situation", he relates and of the welcome that awaited him at school, his mother relates and notes that a special party was held for him and his family together with his amazed friends.
And when we ask where he intends to go, Ariel is not in a hurry to utter that far-off word, Olympian. "I haven't a clue," he says.