Avishag Semberg

Born on September 16, 2001, in Gedera, Israel, Avishag Semberg began her taekwondo journey at the age of six. Her dedication to the sport became evident early on, participating in a 40-minute after-school class once a week. By age eight, she was competing against boys, and by nine, her training schedule intensified to four times a week. Semberg joined the Israel National Team in sixth grade and has been training at the Sharabi Martial Arts club in Ramla since she was nine, under the guidance of coach Yechiam Sharabi. Her rigorous training involves three sessions daily, totaling six to eight hours, focusing on taekwondo techniques, gym work, and flexibility. This demanding regimen has prepared her for the physical challenges of competitive taekwondo, though it has also resulted in injuries such as concussions and broken bones.

Semberg’s career has been marked by a consistent ascent through the ranks, demonstrating her potential from a young age. Her early achievements include gold medals in the Israel Cadets Open in 2012, 2013, and 2015, and a silver medal at the Croatia Open in 2014. A significant milestone was earning a bronze medal at the World Taekwondo Championships in Burnaby, Canada, in 2016, in the 46 kg weight class. She continued to accumulate medals, including bronze at the European Youth Championships in 2017 and gold at the Polish Youth Open in 2018. The year 2018 also saw her represent Israel at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, where she finished fifth and had the honor of carrying the Israeli flag during the Opening Ceremony. In 2019, she secured a bronze medal at the European Junior (under-21) Championships in Helsingborg, Sweden.

The culmination of her early efforts came in 2021 when Semberg qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics by winning the gold medal at the European Taekwondo Olympic Qualification Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria. Despite a brief setback from contracting Covid, she made history at the Olympic Games, securing Israel’s first-ever Olympic medal in taekwondo—a bronze in the women’s 49 kg category. Her victory made her the youngest Israeli Olympic medalist at 19 years old. Post-Olympics, Semberg continued her success, winning a silver medal at the 2022 European Championships in Manchester and multiple gold medals at various international open tournaments. In 2024, she won gold at the Austrian Open and the European Taekwondo Qualification Tournament, solidifying her position as a top athlete. She dedicated a 2024 Austrian Open gold medal to Irish-Israeli Kim Damti and hostage Omer Wenkert, reflecting her connection to her national identity and current events.