Raz Hershko Signs With Kazakh Judo Club JENYS Through 2028
World number one and Olympic silver medalist Raz Hershko has signed with the Kazakh judo club JENYS to compete in the Champions League through 2028, ahead of the World Championships in Baku.
A day before the World Judo Championships kick off in Azerbaijan, it was announced that on Saturday, Raz Hershko signed a contract with the Kazakh judo club JENYS, which she will represent in the Champions League until the end of 2028.
JENYS is a professional and ambitious judo club from Kazakhstan that has already won a bronze medal in the Champions League, which serves as the European Club Championship and the premier competition of the EJU. The club is also home to Kazakh Olympic champion Yeldos Smetov.
Raz Hershko, 28, the Olympic silver medalist from Paris and world number one, will represent JENYS through the end of 2028 while continuing her commitments with the Israeli national team. Meanwhile, the World Championships begin tomorrow in Baku, where she has yet to reach the gold medal bout in her career and will hope to achieve that milestone this year.
Her coach, Shany Hershko, said: "We are very happy and proud of the connection with JENYS. This partnership is based on values we believe in – excellence, achievement, professionalism, and a constant drive to reach the highest level. Beyond the sporting goal of succeeding together in the Champions League, I see this as an opportunity for a significant professional and sporting connection between Israeli and Kazakh judo."
Raz Hershko stated: "It is a great honor for me to join JENYS and represent my international club in the Champions League. I arrive with a lot of motivation and a desire to contribute to the team and succeed together. For me, the connection with a Kazakh club and the sporting partnership being created between us holds special meaning, and I very much look forward to beginning this shared path."
