Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Native name | תום ראובני | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nationality | Israeli | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Ramat Gan, Israel[1] | 12 June 2000||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sailing career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class(es) | RS:X, iQFoil | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coach | Gal Fridman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Tom Reuveny (Hebrew: תום ראובני; born 12 June 2000) is an Israeli Olympic champion windsurfer, who specializes in the RS:X and iQFoil classes. He won gold medals at the 2017 RS:X Youth World Championships, the 2019 RS:X World Championships Men's U21, and the 2020 RS:X World Championships Men's U21. Representing Israel at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Reuveny won the gold medal in the Men's iQFoil.
Reuveny was born in Ramat Gan, Israel, lived in Kibbutz Sdot Yam, and lives in Rosh HaAyin, Israel, and is Jewish.[2][1][3][4] He is the son of Dr. Ronen Reuveny, an exercise physiologist, and Kate Reuveny, a high-tech professional.[4] His parents encouraged him to take up sports from a young age. His brother is a combat soldier in the Israel Defense Forces, since the 7 October Hamas-led attack on Israel.[3] As a child, Reuveny trained in several different sports, including cycling, swimming, tennis, and surfing.[4]
Reuveny's coach is Gal Fridman, who won the gold medal in windsurfing at the 2004 Olympic Games.[3]
Reuveny starting surfing at eight years of age.[3] At ten years of age, he began windsurfing.[3]
He won a bronze medal at the 2016 RS:X Youth World Championships in Circolo Surf Torbole, Italy.[5] He won the gold medal at the 2017 RS:X Youth World Championships.[5][3] He won the gold medal at the 2019 RS:X World Championships Men's U21 in Torbole, Italy, and the gold medal in the 2020 RS:X World Championships Men's U21 in Sorrento, Victoria, Australia.[5]
At the 2022 iQFoil World Championships held in Brest, France, Reuveny finished in fourth place.[6]
In 2023, he won a bronze medal in a competition as part of the 2023 Sailing World Cup, the Princess Cup, in Palma, Spain.[7]
In the 2024 iQFoil World Championships held in Lanzarote, Spain, Reuveny finished in eighth place.[6] Shortly after the competition, the Executive Committee of the Israel Sailing Association selected Reuveny to represent Israel at the 2024 Summer Olympics.[6] Reuveny was not considered a medal contender by the Israel Olympic Committee. During training, he said: "There are still hostages in Gaza and it was difficult training when the whole country is burning."[3]
Reuveny, representing Israel at the 2024 Paris Olympics, won the gold medal in Men's iQFoil class in Marseille, France.[3] He said: "I did it for our brave soldiers."[8]
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said to him:
You floated on the surface of the water like something divine. You made a whole nation happy, a nation that is at war and a nation that prays for the return of those being held hostage.... our anthem was played, Hatikva, hope, for the first time in these Olympics....[3]
Gold medalists | |
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Silver medalists |
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Bronze medalists |