Anastasia Gorbenko, Isrseli swimmer, has reacted calmly to being booed after winning a silver medal in Doha, Qatar.
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| Gold medalist Freya Constance Colbert of Great Britain, right, comforts silver medalist Anastasia Gorbenko of Israel, after she was booed by the spectators at the end of the Women’s 400m Individual Medley final at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar, February 18, 2024. Photo: AP Photo/ Hassan Ammar via THE TIMES OF ISRAEL |
Gorbenko opened up to reporters, “I’ve been here a week. I heard all these noises, but I’m with earplugs. I’m in my zone. I’m here to do what I love to do, which is sports.
“I’m here to represent my country… And I’m doing this with the Israeli flag and I’m proud of that. And whoever doesn’t like it, it’s just not my problem.”
She added, “There was no way I was going to miss [the podium] just because some little kids are going to do whatever they want to.
“It does affect me emotionally. It’s been like a long week for me. I expected myself to do better than what I did.”
Gorbenko said, she will ensure not to miss future events in Arab countries.
“At the end of the day, Israel is in the Middle East as well; I hope one day we’ll be able to make some peace with everyone”, she said.
