JERUSALEM (AP) " Forget the handshake that wasn't " Israel is delighted with something much more unusual: international athletic success. After defeating Egyptian Islam El Shehaby in the contentious first round match in Rio, Israel's Or Sasson went on to win a bronze medal in the heavyweight category. While that's quite a stretch, there's no disputing that judo has become Israel's unofficial national sport, with five of its nine Olympic medals coming in the sport. "Soccer may be more popular, but this is what we are good at," said Moshe Fonti, the chairman of the Israeli Judo Association. It also sparked youth judo training programs across the country, turning the medal winners into celebrities.

Source: New Zealand Herald August 14, 2016 09:22 UTC