Asaf Yasur wins gold in taekwondo, Israel’s first Paralympic medal in Paris

Israeli taekwondo athlete Asaf Yasur beats Turkey’s Ali Can Ozcan 18-12 in the final of the men’s under-58kg weight class at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, winning a gold medal.

It marks Israel’s first medal at the Paralympic Games, which began today following last night’s opening ceremony.

Following the match, the two athletes — who have faced each other in the past — exchange a friendly arm pat.

Earlier, Yasur beat Thailand’s Thanwa Kaenkham 23-6 in the quarterfinals and then won against Taiwan’s Xiang Wen Xiao 16-6 in the semifinal.

Yasur, 22, lost both of his arms in an electrocution accident while trying to retrieve a lost ball shortly before his 13th birthday. He arrived at the Paris Games ranked 1st in the world in his weight class after winning two gold medals at subsequent world championships.