(Ha'aretz) Rami Hipsh- Gal Friedman became the first Israeli to win a gold Olympic medal Wednesday in windsurfing. During the awards ceremony, the Israeli national anthem Hatikva was played at the Olympic Games for the first time. Friedman dedicated his victory to the 11 Israelis killed in the Munich massacre at the 1972 Olympics, vowing he would visit their memorial to show them his medal. Friedman's victory brought screams of delight in shops and offices across the country, as many were glued to television sets. Friedman said after his victory. "I simply felt that the entire country was pushing me from behind. I suddenly felt extra energies, and I didn't know where they came from." Friedman's first name, Gal, means "wave" in Hebrew.
2004-08-26 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive