Peter Paltchik is an Israeli Judoka who is in the midst of a hugely successful career that has included winning a bronze medal at the 2021 Olympics.
Currently ranked number 1 in his weight class in the under 100kg category, Paltchik is busy preparing for the 2024 Olympics, which will be taking place in Paris this July and August. He has also seen his profile rise on social media after using his platform to speak out about Hamas’ horrific attack on Israel on 7th October 2023 and the subsequent war in Gaza.
I caught up with Peter to talk about the reality of life in Israel, discuss how he’s been using social media to speak out, and to find out how he’s feeling ahead of the Olympics…
I was in Israel last September, just before everything happened. First of all, I’m very sorry about what is happening. I’ve been following you on social media, and you’ve very much used that platform during this time. How are you doing?
It’s awful that after six months, we still have hostages held in Gaza and the war still continues. There’s still people dying every day. It seems life is back to normal live but it’s not. Every day we wake up and see the news and get an update on the losses from the operations (taking place) during the night. (You hope you) won’t see names you know. When the war started, my twins in two weeks they’re going to be one year old, they were six months (old). They were so, so small. When the war started there was a (lot of rockets) shooting towards Tel Aviv and all the cities around. We were waking up during the night and running with my twins in my hands into the shelters. It was horrible. Now it’s a little bit better because there are no more (rockets) shooting towards the centre. We’re sticking to the things that we used to do and I try to manage everything together to to represent my country as much as possible in every aspect; of course in my Judo career and in the Olympics, which are coming soon, and as you said with social media. Everywhere I can I fight my fights, spreading the word.
It must be incredibly frustrating for you to see how the media is reporting on what’s going on. I see a lot of people speaking out against Israel, yet they’ve never actually been there. They have no idea of the reality of what life is like there so really they can’t have a fully-formed opinion…
Or criticise…. exactly
Even with the Eurovision Song Contest. There’s been so much discourse around whether or not Israel should be allowed to participate, and I think Eden Golan is being so brave by putting herself through it despite that. It’s crazy that it’s even a conversation…
Yeah, people always have something to say even if they don’t really know the details or are aware of the facts. It’s a pity. It’s a pity that social media runs the world today. If someone powerful on social media says something, it’s getting more (attention) than the facts themselves. That’s why we need to do something about it.
You have such a big following on social media, does it feel like a duty to use that platform to share what’s going on in Israel?
Yeah, I feel a duty to use it. In the beginning, I connected with some IT companies and they were sending staff to my home like a cameraman, digital creators and people I work with. We did some really important content about the war, about the facts and it was very, very important. I used every platform I have – Instagram, TikTok, Facebook…. everything – and wherever I go, I talk about it. Even with my colleagues around the world, I found that most of them actually didn’t support Israel and it was sad for me to to know that because those are people I really appreciated and people I thought were very intelligent. You can choose whatever side you want but at least check the facts. Check everything – all the media, not only the things that you’re shown. Check all the sides and as you said, if you really want to know (what’s going on), as you said, come and visit (Israel). I will be glad to show people around, to show them horrors in the south and to go with them. I feel that that’s one of my duties lately since everything escalated and there’s more meaning. Even if I win a medal in a competition, there is more meaning right now then there used to be.
Not only do you have the background of the conflict, you’re also a father to young children and you’re getting ready for the Olympics in Paris. There must be some impact on the professional areas of your life. How do you balance all of that?
It’s hard. I think (I have) a good balance right now. In the beginning, it was very hard for me. Even before my wife gave birth, I was a little bit scared about how I could manage everything and how (being a father) will affect me. Now after a year, I think that I am doing OK (laughs). It’s funny to see (my children) and how they react to things I do with them. I bring them to the mat sometimes to feel it with their tiny hands and legs, to throw some dummies and they’re even lifting small weights. I’m preparing them (laughs).
We have future Judo champions then perhaps?
Yes, 100% (laughs).
I first became aware of you during my last trip to Israel. Posters of you were hanging throughout the Dizengoff Center so I looked into you, and you’ve had a really remarkable career in Judo. I understand it was your grandfather that got you into the sport?
He was the one that brought me to this amazing sport called Judo. It wasn’t love at first sight. I was struggling during my first years. I was very heavy and I was big, and I had a lot of losses. People always think that everything came very easy for me but it didn’t. I was struggling but then I started being successful in the region first, then in the country. In my high school, I was in the senior national team representing my country in a competition globally. That’s when it became professional. After I managed to win my first European title under the age of 21, I knew that it could be a real professional career. After that not everything was easy. It was a roller coaster with injuries, big operations, rehabilitation and recovery. There’s always ups and downs.
You’ve won so many medals in your career and your at the top of the sport…
It’s never enough! (laughs)
Every time you win a medal, does that put more pressure on you to push yourself even harder for the next competition?
Every competition makes me even more competitive for next one. I get that hunger from every win and I love it. I always think I’ll start to feel satisfied or less hungry but I don’t feel (like that) right now. I keep going and I don’t feel tired yet, God bless. I wake up every morning with very high energy and high motivation. When I step onto the mat and I’m getting in my zone and I’m getting inside my bubble, nothing can move me from there. I still feel like I’m a young athlete and I’m not young (laughs).
The 2024 Olympics in Paris are on the horizon. How are you feeling ahead of that?
I feel fired up and very, very excited because I love Paris. Every year in the Paris Grand Slam, I manage to win the big medal. It’s like the Wimbledon for Judo. I think it’s gonna be one of the biggest festivals during the last decade. The Tokyo Olympics wasn’t the festival we thought it was going to be. Paris will be very, very fun. I’m coming very ready and fully prepared. I think even more prepared than Tokyo.
How is the rest of the year looking for you beyond the Olympics?
Between the training and everything (else), I’m receiving a lot of offers from companies to collaborate. It’s hard to say no because I didn’t grow up with a rich family and the money’s always good (laughs). It’s hard to say ‘no’ to big money. I always have to think about the balance between my career and the offers coming in. I don’t think I got the balance right before Tokyo but I am doing it much better before Paris. I’m doing the work with myself and I’m being honest. I criticise myself every day and I asked myself, ‘is it too much for you?’ Every project I take, I need to commit myself. I can’t do it (half-hearted). There were some big projects this year in between training and the competitions. I’m in my third year as (the face) of the Delta Company, which is the biggest textile company in Israel, and Adidas as you saw in the Dizengoff Center. Now I’m working with Papaya, one of the most valuable companies in Israel, they came to the Olympic Committee and chose me as the biggest (face) of the company. It’s a huge thing. We’re going to do a lot of work after the Olympics. The board and the management they’re gonna come and cheer me on in Paris. I’m thrilled. There’s a lot of things!
Find out more about Peter Paltchik by visiting his official website at https://paltchik.com/.
