Rebecca Bayich aims for another medal at the European Taekwondo Championships: “Comes with confidence, wants to raise the flag”

The taekwondo fighter, Rebecca Bayich, will open the European Championships tomorrow (Saturday) in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, after winning three consecutive bronze medals in the last European Championships. Bayich, who competes up to 46 kg, is ranked fourth in the world ranking and second among the competitors in her weight in the championship.

“It’s not something that I relate to or give too much space to. I come to do my job,” Bayich says in an interview with ‘Davar’ ahead of the championship. “The ranking doesn’t matter, each battle is a battle in itself and can be one way or the other. I come with confidence following the medals I won at the European Championships, but in the competition it will be all from the beginning. Of course I want to win the gold medal, get on the podium and wave the flag.”

“I go up and do my best regardless of who comes up in front of me”

The only competitor who is ahead of her in the world ranking in the European Championship, is the Croatian Lena Stojkovic who won the World Championship and the European Championship twice in a row. Alongside her, the top competitors in the competition will be Emin Gugbakan from Turkey, who is ranked seventh in the world. Dina Furiones from Iran competing under the refugee team ranked ninth in the world and Phoenix Goodman from Britain ranked 16th in the world.

Are there any competitions you are preparing for in particular?
“On a personal level, there are competitors that I want to give back to. But not someone who is a challenge that I have to overcome and focus all my preparation on, that is not my goal. I go up and do my best regardless of who goes up in front of me. I lost in 2022 in the semi-finals to Turkey ( Amin Gugbakan) and it’s a good situation that I will meet her this time as well. So I know that this time I’m not going to let her win, I’m going to give her the lead over the last time.”

What do you think would be considered success in the competition?
“To bring myself and my abilities. Of course a medal and first place is my goal, but I also build on a process. I will give my all in this competition and even if I don’t do the best, then this championship will give me the lesson I need for the next world championship I mean I’ll give it my all, but it’s not the end and I’ll learn from it. I don’t come with the feeling that I’m winning or losing.”

Bayich (24) is 1.53 meters of strength, a big heart and endless energy. She brings a special style to her battles. Beich is known for her uncompromising offensive style. She attacks her opponents throughout the fight and uses her tremendous physical prowess to achieve victory against opponents who tire in front of her.

In the previous method that was used until Tokyo 2020, the fight was held in three rounds and the score was accumulated. Bayeich’s fights would reach results of 50-60 points. The change of the method and the transition to the better between three systems, required her to make the necessary adjustments, in order to continue to be at the top of the world.

“The previous method was in my favor and gave me an advantage. Even if my opponent would have opened a gap on me in the first round and she is still fresh, I bring her to the third round when she has no more air and that’s where I beat her,” says Beich. “Now you have to be very careful, you have to be very sharp and smart, because you must not lose any set. If you lose a set, then it is true that you have another option to correct and win two sets, but you have to be focused and not give any advantage to your opponent” .

In the last month, a number of talented young women started joining the world tour, such as Yordan Nesher and Romi Hamilevsky, and together with the veterans Samberg, Baich, Lager and Azaren, they make up a strong and high-quality women’s team with a special and positive atmosphere.

“It’s something terribly fun,” Bayich admits. “There is a member of the team who is an Olympic medalist and there are members of the team who are highly ranked in the world. It gives a feeling that we are on the right path. It is fun to know that we are at the top of the teams in the world.”

Samberg’s arrival at the second Olympics in a row inspires the team that everything is possible, on the way to further achievements in the world arena. “There is no doubt that it motivates everyone. You say to yourself, ‘OK, our team member managed to reach these places, so anyone can’. It inspires and motivates everyone.”

Bayich was born in Chahit in Ethiopia, at the age of four she immigrated with her family to Israel. When she was in the 8th grade she discovered taekwondo and joined the “Olat” project that invites the girls of the Ethiopian community to the sport and is run by the Gunter family from the United States. “They started the project to promote girls from the Ethiopian community. A friend suggested that I come to training, I tried and I liked it, and I’ve been there ever since.”

“I’ve always loved martial arts, including the competitions. I was just drawn to it,” Bayich says. “I like this combination. It’s an interesting industry that gives a lot of self-confidence, values ​​and discipline. Not just for fun, it gives a lot more.”

Baich’s talent exploded in just two and a half years in the industry, when she won the silver medal at the European Championships for girls in Latvia. “This achievement came quite quickly, relatively for someone who just started. Already there, others saw that there was something to work with. I just continued what I was doing.”

“You see a scene from a movie and you realize that this is the reality your country is experiencing right now”

On October 7, Beich was with the taekwondo team at the prestigious Grand Prix in China. “It was already 12 noon. We started receiving the videos and messages, it was a nightmare. You see a scene from a movie and you realize that this is the reality your country is experiencing now.” She recalls how “we didn’t know what to do. Is it appropriate now to compete when people are in this nightmare”.

“The coach (Yachiam Sharabi) made the decision for us and told us that we would compete in any case. We will not let them beat us here in the arena either. Meaning that nothing will affect us and make us go backwards. We came for a mission and we will carry it out! The result no longer matters, but what was What is important is the very work that we stand firm and come to give everything we have despite what is happening to our people and families.”

Did you fight after that?
“It wasn’t easy at all. Knowing that my friends are in the reserves and the family is shutting down. It made me feel part of a movie that I didn’t want to be in. I really won’t forget that day.”

How do the other athletes in the world tour receive you?
“There were several competitions in which the athletes from Arab countries mocked us, laughed and threw things in the air. But this is not something we relate to. On the other hand, our friends from other national teams showed concern and wanted to understand what was really happening and not draw conclusions based only on what they see in their media. I had It’s important to take advantage of the stage and be the one that represents the country and presents our side, even if it’s only to a few people.”

The largest ever delegation of the Israeli taekwondo team went to the European Championships in Serbia. Beside Bayich will also compete Yana Lager at 53 kg, Dana Azran at a weight of over 73 kg, Tom Pashkovsky at 54 kg, Uri Petishi at 58 kg, Dima Nagiev at 63 kg , Nimrod Karbitsky at 74 kg, Ilya Roderman at 80 kg, Itamar Sasson at 87 kg and Alex Filippov at the open weight of 87 kg and above. Also, at the same time, the European Paralympic Taekwondo Championship is taking place, where Assaf Yassour (58 kg) won the gold medal and Adnan Milad (63 kg) also competes.

The taekwondo branch is at a historical high point. Avishag Samberg won the bronze medal in Tokyo 2020 and the gold (2020) and silver (2022) medals at the European Championships. Dana Azran won a silver medal at the World Championships, Rebecca Bayich’s three bronze medals and Nimrod Krabitsky won a silver medal (2020) and three bronze medals at the European Championships (2019, 2022, 2023).

“I am happy that this is the largest delegation to the European Championship on behalf of the branch. We have a number of athletes who are at their peak and candidates for a medal in the championships such as Rivka, Nimrod and Dana who are already medalists in the European and world championships.” says the union’s CEO Noa Shamida. “We also have a very talented young generation like Tom who already placed fifth in the European championships and it’s a good day for him He can totally stand on the podium. We expect some medals from the delegation.”

Shamide sees the importance of combining the old generation with the young and talented generation in building a strong and deep team for the years to come. “Today the national team is training together. This pushes forward the veterans who have nowhere else to aspire and it pushes the young people up. We are building the young society for the next Olympics in Los Angeles 2028.”

That information sketches the picture of the future of the team and what path the young members of the team should take “The team has male and female athletes aged 17-18 and they are now at the beginning of their journey. We recognize the potential and invest in the younger ages. Right now they are going to compete in the round competitions, to accumulate points, to raise the level and reach the next European championships.”