Linoy Ashram is a household name in the world of gymnastics, and her most recent accomplishment is winning gold at the European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships.
A Belarusian gymnast was leading the race, and Ashram had to receive a whopping score of 26.500 points in order to win first place.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
"I knew I had to perform a perfect routine, and that is what I did," Ashram told Israel Hayom. "When my score appeared on the screen, 26.500 points, I could not believe it. My coach Ayelet and I cried. One of the most emotional moments of the competition was when I stood at the top of the podium, sang along to the Israeli anthem, and saw the Israeli flag waving above."
The year 2020 has been a challenging one for all gymnasts as the coronavirus disrupted training schedules that are so crucial for professional athletes.
"We had nowhere to train for the European Championships because of the lockdowns," Ashram explained.
"The Israel Gymnastics Federation, the Olympic Committee of Israel, and the Elite Sports Department Administration came up with a solution and allowed our team to live at The Wingate Institute. For two months, we trained, ate, and slept there. That is what allowed me to prepare for the competition. If I didn't have a place to train, I don't know how I could have competed."
The routine that is usually presented at the Championships gets adjusted based on participation in competitions that take place throughout the year. In 2020 due to the pandemic, there was no such opportunity.
"I am sure that if there were preliminary competitions, my routine would have looked completely different. Perhaps it would even be better," Ashram said.
"Usually, when I go from the qualifiers to the finals, Ayelet and I make corrections to the routine, sometimes we replace certain exercises altogether. This year we could not do that. The competition lasted only one day.
"Previously, by the time we arrived at the finals, judges were already familiar with each gymnast's routine. This year they had no way of knowing it ahead of time, and we saw how focused they were during each performance."
Q: Did you enjoy participating in the European Championships?
"It was a lot of fun to be competing again. I had been waiting for this for so long. Since the World Championships in September 2019, I did not compete at all. Before the coronavirus, I used to fly to two competitions a month.
"I had a good feeling before the European Championships. I didn't know if I was going to win first place, but I was confident that I knew the routine perfectly and was ready to perform it."
Besides disrupting training routines, the coronavirus also led to the cancellation of all gymnastics competitions and the 2020 Olympic Games.
Q: How did you feel when you found out that the Olympics have been postponed?
"I found out about it back in March when I was preparing for the Olympics. I was very disappointed because I felt physically and mentally ready for it. Moreover, I wanted to compete and had been waiting for it for so long.
"With time, I understood that this gives me an extra year to train hard and perfect my routine. I am choosing to look at it positively."
As a child, Ashram was exceptionally energetic, and her parents chose to channel her energy into gymnastics. Ashram recalls that her journey got off to a bumpy start.
"I immediately realized that I was different than other gymnasts. I was not from Eastern Europe, as most gymnasts were at the time. At first, I was treated differently, and I noticed coaches gave more attention to my Russian teammates. They believed in them more.
"Perhaps that is what pushed me to reach the level I am at today. I remember thinking to myself, 'They don't believe in me? Then I am going to work as hard as I can to prove them wrong.'
"When I was a child, my feet used to be stiff; I could not point. I used to stretch for hours on end at home while watching TV. Within a year, my legs turned supple. My coaches were shocked.
"On top of the hours of training with the coaches, I used to train a lot at home. When I won the Israel Youth Championship in 2014, my coaches finally started to realize that I was, in fact, a talented gymnast."
According to Ashram, she only realized how truly talented she was at the 2014 Championships in Baku, from which she returned with two bronze medals.
"Someone on the Azerbaijani team gave me the nickname 'black panther.' He said that I was always the first to arrive at the training hall and always the last one to leave. He was right, I was there all the time, day and night.
"Since then, many people used the phrase 'black panther' to describe me," Asham laughs.
Coach Ayelet Zussman recalls that Ashram was a determined child. "Mental strength is key when it comes to success in gymnastics," she said. "As a child, Linoy exhibited a lot of determination, and thanks to her hard work, she succeeded."
"We have a lot in common," Zussman added. "We are the only native Israelis in the industry, we both have roots from Yemen, and our personalities are similar.
"We have also learned to work with each other. In the past, I used to insist on certain movements because I knew Linoy was capable of doing them, but today she trusts me and even develops elements for her own routine. Linoy lives and breathes gymnastics."
"Ayelet and I trust each other very much," Ashram added.
Q: We've all heard the stories of how challenging and sometimes even gruesome gymnastics training can be. What has your experience been?
"Gymnastics training is tough, and some days it can get too much. That is part of the sport. Nevertheless, our work is based on mutual respect."
Q: How do you deal with stress during international championships?
"Stress makes me perform better. It gives me motivation. I know that all of Israel stands behind me in support. They call me their hope. I only focus on the fact that they want me to succeed."
On her path to fulfilling her gymnastics aspirations, Ashram had to give up one major aspect of her life, going to school.
"I haven't spent much time in school since 9th grade. I would occasionally come in for exams. Nevertheless, my grades were pretty good because I studied with private tutors, sometimes early in the morning or late at night. My high school helped me a lot too. They sent me materials to study and adapted their tests specially for me."
Ashram has also completed her service in the IDF.
Q: Which piece of equipment do you love the most?
"Each one is different, so I can't choose the one I love the most. They each require a different kind of music and movements.
"With ball routines, I prefer long movements, and all the slides and transitions. It is usually accompanied by romantic music. With clubs, the routine is happy and upbeat. Hoop routines are more dramatic and powerful."
Ashram has won 47 medals in the last 15 years, including 11 medals from world championships. She also created a new element at the latest European Championships, a sequence of five consecutive jumps in the club routine.
"I always knew I could do it," she shared. "I am the only one who can perform this five-jump streak, so that gave me a very high score."
Since returning from the European Championships, Ashram quarantined at her parents' home in Rishon Lezion, at the end of which she immediately got back to training.
"We are preparing for the next two major championships, the Tokyo Olympics and next year's European Championships in Bulgaria."
Ashram used to be a shy child but has gained more confidence throughout the years.
"My confidence has gone up, and I am much more confident in what I am capable of, although some of the shyness remained. People say I am modest, but I am a different person when I compete than in regular life. When I compete, I am a fighter, but when I meet new people, for example, I am more of a quiet type. I also don't really like to talk about myself."
In December, Ashram spoke in front of thousands of young attendees at the annual Girls Week in Israel.
"The feedback I received from the girls really moved me. They told me I am their role model, that they want to be like me.
"Every day I receive hundreds of messages on Instagram and Facebook, little girls tell me they are my fans, or parents ask me to record congratulatory videos for their children, which I often do. It is exciting to be a role model."
Q: And who are your role models?
"In sports, Neta Rivkin. She is a retired rhythmic gymnast, a three-time Olympian. Only three gymnasts in the world achieved that. Outside of sports, I am a fan of Gal Gadot, who is a true wonder woman in terms of determination and strength."
Q: Do rhythmic gymnasts have strict diets?
"We don't starve, that I can say for sure. We eat all the things we are allowed to eat, protein and carbs in moderation, food with lots of vitamins. I maintain a healthy diet, and I know what is right for me and what I should eat in order to be healthy."
Q: What is your favorite treat?
"I love my mom's homemade schnitzel or the schnitzels that I make. They are definitely my favorite."
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
Q: What do you do in your rare spare time?
"On my days off, I like to hike, to be outdoors, in nature and by the water. When I'm home, I enjoy watching romantic comedies and TV series. Now I am watching Grey's Anatomy.
"When I want to relax, I go for a walk and listen to music. When I stayed at the Wingate Institute before the Championships and couldn't leave the premises, I used to go for walks around the building and listen to music. Time would fly by."
