Avishag Semberg became the youngest Israeli athlete to secure an Olympic medal when she earned bronze in the women's 49 kg taekwondo competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics. Her performance in Tokyo marked a milestone for her nation, representing the tenth Olympic medal in Israel's history and the first ever achieved in the sport of taekwondo.
Early Development and Training
Raised in Gedera, Semberg began her taekwondo training at age six, attending weekly sessions coached by Maoz Sharabi. By age nine, she increased her commitment to four sessions per week. At sixteen, she relocated to Ramla to train at the Sharabi Martial Arts facility under Yechiam Sharabi. Her professional development involved a rigorous schedule often totaling six to eight hours of daily training, encompassing morning drills, physical conditioning, and evening sessions.
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Semberg entered the Israel National Team during her sixth grade. Her early record includes gold medals at the Israel Cadets Open in Ashdod for the 33 kg and 37 kg classes in 2012 and 2013, respectively. By 2017, she claimed a bronze at the European Youth Championships in Larnaca and gold at the Israel Senior Open in Ramla. In 2020, she secured a gold medal at the European Clubs Senior Championships in Zagreb.
Olympic and International Milestones
In May 2021, Semberg qualified for the Tokyo Olympics by winning gold at the European Taekwondo Olympic Qualification Tournament in Sofia. During the 2020 Games, she defeated Trương Thị Kim Tuyền in the repechage before securing the bronze medal against Turkey’s Rukiye Yıldırım. Following her Olympic success, she earned a silver medal at the 2022 European Championships in Manchester.
Military Service and Personal Life
Semberg served in the Israeli military starting in 2020, where she received the designation of Outstanding Sportswoman, allowing her to balance service with professional training. She received an honorable discharge in November 2021. Prior to her athletic career, she appeared as a contestant on the 2015 season of the Israeli television reality game show The Boys and The Girls.
Fast facts
- Born: 2001, Gedera, Israel
- Sport: Taekwondo
- Olympic Achievement: Bronze medal, 2020 Summer Olympics
- Youngest Israeli Olympic medalist at age 19
- Primary training location: Sharabi Martial Arts, Ramla
- Military status: Honorable discharge, November 2021
- Languages: Modern Hebrew
Questions readers ask
What is Avishag Semberg's primary weight category?
She primarily competes in the 49 kg and 53 kg weight classes.
Did Semberg participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics?
Yes, she represented Israel in the women's -49 kg category, where she was defeated in the first round.
Achievements
- Worked as taekwondo athlete
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