Athletes share inspiration
“It’s truly a life changing experience, being the first Israeli basketball player in the league..."
“I THINK sports is something that unites everyone,” retired Israeli basketball hero Omri Casspi said during the Summit UIA Sports session on Tuesday night.
A 10-year NBA veteran who has also captained the Israeli national team, Casspi described what it is like to play against “the best of the best”.
“You really got to stay on top of your game,” he said.
“The biggest difference to me is the mental part of it. The mentality of coming in, night in and night out, playing against the best is like no other.”
He said the moment he was picked 23rd in the 2009 NBA draft “to this day … gives me chills”.
“It’s truly a life changing experience, being the first Israeli basketball player in the league,” he said.
He said the love and worship from Israelis and Jews around the world “has been unbelievable”.
“I look at the stands, and I see that Israeli flag there and [it] just warms my heart,” he said.
“It’s a big responsibility upon your shoulders too, you want to represent our country in a very respected way.
“[I’ll] really cherish that for the rest of my life.”
Fellow special guest Linoy Ashram – who won gold for Israel at the Tokyo Olympic Games in rhythmic gymnastics – said while her childhood dream was to compete at the Olympics for Israel, “it was only three years before that I thought about [winning] a medal, and I was thinking not gold, but bronze”.
“So when I won gold in Tokyo, it was very surprising, and so exciting, for sure!
“After that, I can’t go to the shopping mall because everyone recognises me and wants a picture, but I love it that everyone supports me like this.”
“And I’m happy that a lot of little girls are now coming to my coach, saying they want to be the next Linoy Ashram!”
The 22-year-old said what she loves most about her chosen sport is competing against the world’s best.
“When I compete, I feel a fire in my heart – I just want to do whatever I can to compete at my best.”
Asked what her advice is to young children who have a dream they’d like to fulfil, Ashram said, “The most important things are to work hard, and never give up.
“The way forward is not going to be easy, so they really need to believe in themselves, and of course, love what they do.”
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