43°F
weather icon Clear
Las Vegas, NV
Nation and World

Israeli swimmer jeered, then cheered by crowd at worlds in Qatar

Gold medalist Freya Constance Colbert of Great Britain, right, comforts silver medalist Anastas ...
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, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Gold medalist Freya Constance Colbert of Great Britain, left, hugs silver medalist Anastasia Go ...
Gold medalist Freya Constance Colbert of Great Britain, left, hugs silver medalist Anastasia Gorbenko of Israel after they finished the Women's 400m Individual Medley final at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
More Stories
First responders at scene of a mass shooting Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Stockton, Calif. (AP P ...
4 dead, 10 wounded in shooting at California banquet hall
National Guard patrol the National Mall near the Lincoln Memorial, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Wa ...
US halts all asylum decisions after shooting of National Guard members
In this undated photo provided by her attorney, Todd Pomerleau, Any Lucia Lopez Belloza celebra ...
College freshman deported flying home for Thanksgiving surprise, despite court order
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after speaking to troops via video from his Mar-a-La ...
‘Reverse migration’: Trump wants to ‘permanently pause’ migration to the US from poorer countries
The Associated Press
February 18, 2024 - 11:46 am
 

DOHA, Qatar — Israeli swimmer Anastasia Gorbenko was jeered by some of the crowd after finishing second in the women’s 400-meter medley on the closing day of the World Aquatics Championships in Qatar on Sunday.

The 20-year-old Gorbenko was making poolside comments moments after the race when the jeers rang out at the Aspire Dome in Doha.

“I’m just so happy to be here and represent my country in this hard time,” Gorbenko said amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. “Being here with the Israeli flag means a lot to me and to my country, so that’s the best I can do.”

Others in the crowd then drowned out the jeers with applause and cheers.

British swimmer Freya Colbert won the race in 4 minutes, 37.14 seconds. Gorbenko clocked 4:37.36 and Italy’s Sara Franceschi was third in 4:37.86.

All three attended their medal ceremony later Sunday.

MOST READ
Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
First responders at scene of a mass shooting Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Stockton, Calif. (AP P ...
4 dead, 10 wounded in shooting at California banquet hall
By Ethan Swope The Associated Press

Four people were killed and 10 wounded in a shooting during a family gathering at a banquet hall in Stockton, sheriff’s officials said.

National Guard patrol the National Mall near the Lincoln Memorial, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Wa ...
US halts all asylum decisions after shooting of National Guard members
By Collin Binkley and Ben Finley Associated Press

The Trump administration has halted all asylum decisions and paused issuing visas for people traveling on Afghan passports after the National Guard shooting in Washington on Wednesday.

A shopper heads into a Walmart store Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in Englewood, Colo. (AP Photo/Dav ...
What’s open on Thanksgiving?
By Matt Ott Associated Press

Most big U.S. retailers are closed on Thanksgiving Day. However, many will open early the following day, Black Friday, the unofficial start of the holiday gift-buying season and the biggest shopping day of the year.

MORE STORIES