Oren Smadja

Oren Smadja
Personal information
Native name	אורן סמדג'ה‎
Nationality	Israeli
Born	June 20, 1970 (age 54); Ofakim, Israel
Occupation	Judo coach
Sport
Country	Israel
Sport	Judo
Weight class	–‍71 kg, –‍78 kg
Rank	7th dan black belt
Now coaching	Israel national judo team
Achievements and titles
Olympic Games	(1992)
World Champ.	(1995)
European Champ.	(1992)
Medal record
Men's judo
Representing Israel
Olympic Games
World Championships
European Championships
World Juniors Championships
European Junior Championships
Profile at external databases
IJF	53539
JudoInside.com	2767
	Updated on 5 June 2023

Shay-Oren Smadja (Hebrew: אורן סמדג'ה; born 20 June 1970) is an Israeli judo coach and former competitive judoka. Smadja won an Olympic bronze medal in judo at the 1992 Summer Olympics, making him the first Israeli male to win an Olympic medal, and the second Israeli overall after Yael Arad who won silver in judo the day before.^[2]

Judo career

Smadja was born in Ofakim, Israel, to a family of Tunisian Jewish descent. He won an Olympic bronze medal in judo at the 1992 Summer Olympics in the under 71 kg category.^[3] In 1995, he won a silver medal at the 1995 World Judo Championships. The next year, he could not repeat his Olympic success when participating at the 1996 Summer Olympics.^[4]

Smadja was nominated as the national coach of the Israeli men's judo team in 2010. ^[5]

Smadja coached several Israeli judokas including Or Sasson, winner of the bronze medal in the 2016 summer olympics (men 100kg+), Sagi Muki, who won gold medals at the 2015 European Games (men -73kg) ^[6] and the 2019 World Judo Championships in Tokyo (men -81kg), Peter Palcthik, winner of the bronze medal in the 2024 summer olympics (men -100kg).^[7]

Smadja is the first Israeli man to win an Olympic medal both as an athlete and as a coach.^{[citation needed]}

Achievements

Year	Tournament	Place	Weight class	Ref.
1990	World Juniors Championships	2nd	Lightweight (71 kg)	^[8]
1992	Olympic Games	3rd		^[9]
1992	European Judo Championships	3rd		^[10]
1995	World Judo Championships	2nd	Half middleweight (78 kg)	^[11]
1995	European Judo Championships	7th	Half middleweight (78 kg)	^[12]

Personal life

Smadja is married to Liat, and the couple had two sons and a daughter. They live in Ganot Hadar. In 2024, on his birthday his son Omer, a reservist soldier in the Israel Defense Forces, fought and fell in action in the Gaza Strip during the Israel-Hamas war.^[13] When one month later Israeli judoka Peter Paltchik won a medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, he dedicated it to Smadja’s son.^[14]

Media Appearances

In 2008, Smadja competed in the 4th season of Israel's Rokdim Im Kokhavim ('Dancing with the Stars'), where he was eliminated 3rd (out of 12 couples). ^[15]

References

^ "IJF Dan Grades Awardees" (PDF). International Judo Federation. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
^ "Sporting heroes for 60 years: No. 25 Oren Smadja". The Jerusalem Post. 10 April 2008.
^ "Judo: Olympic Games: Men: -71 kg". Sports 123. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Shay-Oren Smadja". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020.
^ https://www.maariv.co.il/culture/literature/Article-988416
^ "Israeli judoka wins silver medal at the European Championship". i24news.
^ Ifergan, Stav (2 August 2024). "Meet Israel's two new judo Olympic medalists". Ynetnews. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
^ "1990 World Juniors Championships". JudoInside.com. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
^ "1992 Olympic Games". JudoInside.com. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
^ "1992 European Championships". JudoInside.com. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
^ "1995 World Championships". JudoInside.com. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
^ "1995 European Championships". JudoInside.com. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
^ 'May they all come home': Son of Israeli Judoka Oren Smadga killed in Gaza after father's birthday
^ [https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/sports/article-813415 "In times of war, Israel's Olympic glory carries deeper meaning - analysis Peter Paltchik's Olympic bronze was more than a victory; it was a poignant tribute to his coach's fallen son and a symbol of national unity amid conflict,"] The Jerusalem Post.
^ מירב, קריסטל (22 April 2008). "לוהקה העונה הרביעית של "רוקדים עם כוכבים"" (in Hebrew). Retrieved 17 August 2024.

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[1] "IJF Dan Grades Awardees" (PDF). International Judo Federation. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.

[2] "Sporting heroes for 60 years: No. 25 Oren Smadja". The Jerusalem Post. 10 April 2008.

[3] "Judo: Olympic Games: Men: -71 kg". Sports 123. Retrieved 4 July 2015.

[4] Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Shay-Oren Smadja". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020.

[5] ttps://www.maariv.co.il/culture/literature/Article-988416

[6] "Israeli judoka wins silver medal at the European Championship". i24news.

[7] Ifergan, Stav (2 August 2024). "Meet Israel's two new judo Olympic medalists". Ynetnews. Retrieved 5 August 2024.

[8] "1990 World Juniors Championships". JudoInside.com. Retrieved 11 May 2021.

[9] "1992 Olympic Games". JudoInside.com. Retrieved 11 May 2021.

[10] "1992 European Championships". JudoInside.com. Retrieved 11 May 2021.

[11] "1995 World Championships". JudoInside.com. Retrieved 11 May 2021.

[12] "1995 European Championships". JudoInside.com. Retrieved 11 May 2021.

[13] 'May they all come home': Son of Israeli Judoka Oren Smadga killed in Gaza after father's birthday

[14] [https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/sports/article-813415 "In times of war, Israel's Olympic glory carries deeper meaning - analysis Peter Paltchik's Olympic bronze was more than a victory; it was a poignant tribute to his coach's fallen son and a symbol of national unity amid conflict,"] The Jerusalem Post.

[15] מירב, קריסטל (22 April 2008). "לוהקה העונה הרביעית של "רוקדים עם כוכבים"" (in Hebrew). Retrieved 17 August 2024.

[1]

v t e Olympic medalists for Israel
Gold medalists	Gal Fridman (2004) Artem Dolgopyat (2020) Linoy Ashram (2020) Tom Reuveny (2024)
Silver medalists	Yael Arad (1992) Inbar Lanir (2024) Raz Hershko (2024) Sharon Kantor (2024) Artem Dolgopyat (2024) Israel national rhythmic gymnastics team (2024)
Bronze medalists	Oren Smadja (1992) Gal Fridman (1996) Michael Kolganov (2000) Arik Ze'evi (2004) Shahar Tzuberi (2008) Yarden Gerbi (2016) Or Sasson (2016) Avishag Semberg (2020) Israel national judo team (2020) Peter Paltchik (2024)