1. Artem Dolgopyat
Olympic champion (Tokyo 2020), world champion, two-time European champion and Olympic silver medalist (Paris 2024) in floor exercise
The core of Olympic sport rests on three premier disciplines: athletics, swimming and gymnastics. Medalists in these events are regarded as Olympic royalty, producing the Games’ most enduring legends. At Paris 2024, Simone Biles again demonstrated gymnastics’ global draw, filling arenas each night she competed.
Until Tokyo, Israel’s Olympic medals had largely come in less central sports such as judo and sailing. Dolgopyat shattered that ceiling with a historic gold in floor exercise, one of the Games’ marquee events, establishing himself among the world’s elite gymnasts and, by this ranking, Israel’s greatest athlete.
His distinction lies in consistency. Unlike others whose Olympic success marked a peak, Dolgopyat sustained excellence, adding a world title, multiple European championships and medals across the World Cup circuit. He continued to win even amid disruption, including a gold in Osijek and another at the world championships in Antwerp on Oct. 7, 2023.
Despite immigration challenges after arriving from Ukraine at age 12, Dolgopyat remained singularly focused. Even after Olympic gold, he quickly returned to training rather than celebrating. He has maintained a relatively low public profile and, despite injury before Paris, secured silver under the pressure of defending his title.
“I always believed in myself,” he said. “Step by step, I kept improving.” At 28, considered older in gymnastics, he continues to adapt physically while aiming for further success, with Los Angeles 2028 still on the horizon.
2. Deni Avdija
Portland Trail Blazers forward, first Israeli NBA All-Star
Avdija’s rise reflects not a fleeting peak but sustained development into perhaps the most complete Israeli basketball player. In a standout season, he surpassed Omri Casspi as Israel’s leading NBA scorer, earned Western Conference Player of the Week honors and recorded a 41-point performance alongside multiple triple-doubles. He also became the first player in franchise history to post at least 30 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in a game.
Averaging 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists, Avdija has evolved into a two-way star and a leading candidate for Most Improved Player, culminating in his selection as Israel’s first NBA All-Star.
Long marked as a prodigy, he fulfilled that promise through steady improvement. After leading Israel’s under-20 national team to two European titles, he now appears poised to guide the senior team to new achievements.
3. Gal Fridman
Olympic gold medalist (Athens 2004), bronze medalist (Atlanta 1996), windsurfing
Fridman was Israel’s first Olympic gold medalist and the first to win two Olympic medals. He later coached Tom Reuveny to Olympic gold, remaining uniquely influential in Israeli sport.
Unlike many elite athletes, Fridman avoided celebrity culture. For him, the pursuit of excellence — enduring training, pain and sacrifice — was the goal. His focus remained on sport itself, not its trappings, making him a singular figure in Israel’s Olympic history.
4. Miki Berkovich
Led Maccabi Tel Aviv to two European basketball titles; European Championship silver with Israel
Berkovich was one of Israel’s defining competitors, excelling in decisive moments and helping transform Israeli sport’s self-image in the 1970s. At a time when Israeli teams faced Europe’s elite with trepidation, he played with confidence and intelligence, leading Maccabi Tel Aviv to European titles in 1977 and 1981 and guiding the national team to a historic silver medal.
Renowned for his game intelligence and composure, Berkovich became more than a star — he symbolized a shift in belief. In a country seeking confidence after the Yom Kippur War, his performances offered a new sense of possibility.
5. Esther Roth-Shahamorov
Sixth place, 100-meter hurdles (Montreal 1976); five Asian Games gold medals
Athletics has long been the centerpiece of the Olympics, yet Israel has never reached the podium in the sport. Roth-Shahamorov came closest. Her career was marked by tragedy when her coach, Amitzur Shapira, was killed in the 1972 Munich attack. She missed advancing to the final the next day.
Four years later, she reached the Olympic final, an achievement widely seen as a form of sporting redemption. Her refusal to use performance-enhancing drugs, common in some countries at the time, may have cost her a medal. She remains Israel’s most accomplished track and field athlete.
6. Linoy Ashram
Olympic champion (Tokyo 2020), rhythmic gymnastics all-around
Nearly 30 years after Yael Arad’s breakthrough medal, Ashram became Israel’s first female Olympic champion. Her victory marked the culmination of years of expectation, and she delivered under intense pressure in what was both her first and last Olympics.
Retiring before age 23 — typical in rhythmic gymnastics — her brief career underscores the discipline’s demands. Her Tokyo performance stands as one of the most clutch in Israeli sports history, setting a path for future athletes.
7. Yael Arad
Olympic silver medalist (Barcelona 1992), judo
Arad won Israel’s first Olympic medal but was visibly disappointed after losing the final, reflecting her competitive drive. She carried the burden of national expectations, breaking a decades-long barrier for Israeli athletes.
Now chair of the Israel Olympic Committee, she helped pave the way for future success across sports, not only for women but for all Israeli competitors.
8. Eyal Berkovic
Soccer star in Israel, England and Scotland; named among top Premier League midfielders
Berkovic combined technical brilliance with rare elegance. Known for vision and precise passing, he could anticipate plays several moves ahead. Though not physically imposing, his skill exemplified the artistry of soccer.
His career achievements were significant, but his enduring legacy lies in how he played — with creativity and flair that left a lasting impression beyond results.
9. Yossi Benayoun
Record caps for Israel national team; Champions League standout
Benayoun’s career was defined by imagination and persistence. After returning home from Ajax’s academy as a teenager, he steadily climbed from Israel’s domestic league to Spain and the English Premier League, including a notable spell at Liverpool.
Carrying the national team for years, he remained a central figure well into his late 30s. His technical skill and creativity made him one of Israel’s most influential soccer players.
10. Mordechai 'Motaleh' Spiegler
Only Israeli to score in a World Cup; Asian Cup winner
Spiegler’s equalizer against Sweden at the 1970 World Cup remains a singular moment in Israeli soccer history. Decades later, it stands as the national team’s only World Cup goal.
He also led Maccabi Netanya to its first league title and later coached the club. A pioneering figure, his achievements have yet to be matched at the international level by Israeli soccer.
Methodology:
Participants selected and ranked 10 athletes from a list of 100. A first-place vote earned 10 points, second place nine points and so on, with one point for 10th place.
First published: 11:52, 04.22.26