A World Champion and the Israeli people’s champion
Blue-and-white judoka Sagi Muki represents one of the country’s top medal chances in Tokyo and is a perfect ambassador off the mat as well.
By JOSHUA HALICKMANIsraeli judoka Sagi Muki(photo credit: REUTERS)“I’m a fighter, a battler and one that never gives up. I’m strong willed and stubborn.”
This is how Sagi Muki described himself as he sat down in a private room at the luxurious West Lagoon Resort in Netanya, just overlooking the Mediterranean Ocean.
Muki, the reigning Judo World Champion in the -81kg weight class represents one of Israel’s best Olympic medal hopes this decade as he readies for the delayed 2020 Games in Tokyo, Japan.View full Olympics Magazine, including a schedule of events >>
“It’s amazing feeling to be a champion and to win the first men’s gold medal in Judo for Israel; it’s historical. It’s been hard for me to say that I am the World Champion, but it was the culmination of a huge dream for me. I am happy that I was able to reach this accomplishment and the feeling couldn’t be better.”Israeli judoka Sagi Muki. (Reuters)
The Netanya native has been front and center since he captured the World Championship in Tokyo the site of this year’s Olympics in an event that resulted in his top rival, Iranian Saied Mollaei losing on purpose as to not have to meet the Sabra in the Finals or even stand on the podium with him.
How times have changed in less than two years. Since then, Mollaei was able to defect from his country of birth, obtained Mongolian citizenship and competed in Israel where he won a silver medal at the Tel Aviv Grand Slam this past February.
Mollaei and Muki have not only become close friends as they now look to build bridges, but they will even have their journey depicted by MGM in a series that will captivate their life stories.
“It’s my honor and privilege to be part of this extraordinary project with my dear friend Saeid,” Muki said. “We want to forward the message that sport is above politics and we are all one family. When Saeid and I meet in the final, the first winner is already set: our friendship! I truly believe with the help of this project the second winner will be the understanding between our people.”
Did Muki ever think that one day he would be in the situation he is now? A World Champion and one who could bridge Israel and Iran? How did Muki ever arrive at this opportunity? To find out what makes him tick one has to delve into his childhood and beyond.
“My parents are originally from Netanya and my grandparents knew each other from Yemen before making Aliyah and moving to Israel,” Muki began. “I had a good childhood and I had a lot of energy. I played many sports when I was growing up including basketball, soccer, tennis and judo.”
“I loved the great Ronaldinho; how he controlled the ball, how much love he played the game with along with the ease of how he could perform at the highest of levels.”
Judo and soccer ended up being the two sports that Muki focused on as the years went by.
“Judo was an individual sport while I loved playing soccer together with my friends.” Eventually, judo would win out as he decided that his talents were going to take him furthest on the mat.
“When you’re alone you have to work on yourself. The challenges are the same as with team sports as you want to succeed and do the best that you can, but it’s different when you are all alone on the mat trying to reach your dreams.” Israeli judoka Sagi Muki. (Reuters)
However, Muki was never really alone and from a very young age Muki was coached and influenced by 1992 Olympic bronze medalist Oren Smadga, the second Israeli to win a medal at the Olympic Games in judo, following Yael Arad.
“Oren has been an inspiration for me for many, many years. He’s my friend and coach and our special connection is what makes us successful team. I have a lot of appreciation for him and I trust him. When I was competing in front of 20,000 people in France I could barely here him yell out instructions. But all I had to do was to look into his eye and I knew exactly what he wanted to convey.”
“People have to remember and understand that Oren was a trailblazer and accomplished something that no one ever believed could happen. Both Yael and Oren were able to break a mental block by winning medals at the Olympics and became the first Israelis to do so.”
Of course, having a great coach is crucial, but also having parents that understood the trials and tribulations of a budding athlete is also critical in reaching the highest of height.
“My parents were always supportive and as a youngster the focus was always on me as I was an athlete. But I must credit my brother who is now 24 years old and works for Johnson & Johnson; he was never jealous of me said always had the right words for me. We grew up together, but he found judo to be boring and just didn’t connect with the sport which taught me that one should focus and concentrate on what they love.”
Part of becoming a world class judoka includes representing Israel at a young age and working one’s way up through the system. However, there is a stigma that blue-and-white athletes have very little chance to win and this was what Muki faced as well from a fellow competitor.
“When I was in high school, I was a part of the Israel National Team. One of the kids heard I was going to the European Championships and he said there is no way I’m going to win as Israelis never win these types of competitions.”
“It’s true, I didn’t win and I finished in ninth place, but I forged on and on and on. I finished my Bagruoit in high school and I didn’t have much free time because I was always training or studying for a test. My friends understood what I was trying to accomplish I found out what was required of me to reach the top.”
As Muki continued to climb the ladder of success by winning and placing in many tournaments at the start of the decade, he also found out that he was becoming a public figure which was certainly challenging, but a challenge that he has embraced along the way.
“At the beginning it was difficult as I enjoyed having my privacy. But when I won the Gold Medal at the 2015 European Games and then a Bronze in Abu Dhabi later in the year, I began to understand how my role was evolving and I embraced the support and love.
“In fact, my father who is observant turned off the television before one of my bouts on a Friday evening and went to synagogue for services. While he was there someone came in and gave him the thumbs up that I won. So many people were beginning to watch my every move.
“My father used to take me back and forth to practice twice a day which took close to two hours and he was always there along with my mother to help me reached my dream. He’s my role model as to how to be as a person. He always shows the utmost modesty and when I won a medal here in Israel, he told me not to show off my medal because other Israelis didn’t win. He is my guiding light.”
Up next were the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, where Muki finished in fifth place due to an injury.
My goal going into the Rio Games was to stand on the podium. But two months before the Olympics I slipped a couple discs and from both a physical and mental state I was unable to be at the top of my game. However, I still had my belief and that was the biggest thing for me. I was able to go very far in the competition, further than others.
“I’m always asked if I could have made it all the way if I wasn’t injured, but hindsight is 20/20. I do know that following the Olympics I continued to strengthen myself and I won Gold Medals in subsequent events. There was no way that I was just going to give up.”
As Israel heads into a golden age of judo with so many top competitors there is a lot of hope that a number of medals will be won in Tokyo. “
Peter Paltchik, Ori Sasson and Tohar Butbol are all my contemporaries and I’ve known Peter for years. I’m asked a lot as to why we are so good in judo. It’s because we have created a tradition and we have a roadmap that is set. We have won a number of Olympic medals in this discipline and have sent many judokas to compete at this level, so we have who to fall back on.
“When I was 15 years old, we didn’t have enough people to train with, so boys and girls were mixed and we trained and competed together. Today there are hundreds of children and youngsters who are training in judo and we need that to continue. In five or 10 years we will have judokas in all category across the board. I’m happy that I have had a little part in the development of the sport in our country.”
Muki shed some light on how one can be the best of the best as he continues to compete.
“In order for a sportsman to be at the top level, one has to have passion, be in the right mental state, desire, quality and personality. You must have all of those qualities in order to be at the top and it all starts at the top of your body with your head and being in the correct mental state. I have been in five finals and have won four gold medals and one silver. When you win one after another sometimes your hunger and passion goes down a bit and your mental state plays a big part in making sure you go for it all.”
“Every time I am faced with a new challenge, I look back and remember how hard I trained before the World Championships knowing that I have to give it my all. If you don’t have that hunger and it’s not there, competing is just not the same.”
An area of interest for Muki is the Jewish National Fund (JNF) Positively Israel program on college campuses across the US. Positively Israel speakers promote an appreciation for the innovations Israel contributes to the world. By featuring decisive facts about this small desert nation, the speakers paint a picture vastly different from the image of Israel in the media. In partnership with Media Watch International, JNF has coordinated campus speaking tours with Sagi and his fellow Judo team members, Olympic medal recipient Ori Sasson and Peter Palchik. In addition, Miss Israel, Titi Aynaw, a friend of Muki’s and former resident of Netanya, has appeared on 75 campuses thus far.
“Sagi Muki is not only an outstanding athlete, but also an example of how to stand up to adversity and bias in the sports arena, a place where politics should be left at the door but sadly still casts a dark shadow at times,” said Jewish National Fund CEO Russell F. Robinson. “Together with Jewish National Fund, Sagi has shared his experiences and our Positively Israel messaging on college campuses across the US, reaching thousands of students, setting an example of how you can be a proud Jew, overcome hatred, and even become a World Champion.”
Sharon Tzur, Executive Director of Media Watch International and co-sponsor of Muki’s college campus tour says that “Sagi is a charming and articulate young man who has become a role model in emphasizing how Israel makes the world a better place on college campuses. He’s a great brand for Israel and resonates positively worldwide.”
Although Muki is almost always competing around the globe, he spends some of his free time volunteering with Kav Lachayim, which is an organization that works with children who suffer from severe and complex disabilities.
“It’s amazing to be able to impact those with various challenges such as Down Syndrome. To be able to see the smiles on their faces, there’s nothing better than this. I question myself as to what my role is in the world, why am I here? It is to give something back and this is just one way that I do so.”
As the Tokyo Games approach, Muki has one goal in mind.
“I want to win the Gold Medal at the Olympics and be an ambassador of peace that can have a positive influence on people around the world.”
“I dream of facing Saied Mollaei and it doesn’t matter who wins. I want to shake his hand give him a hug. This way we will not only show honor for each other but together we can show that sport is above everything else. I want to see our flags raised side by side, hug him and show the entire world that this is a win for sports over politics.”
