Israel competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo with its largest contingent to date − a delegation of 90 athletes, 55 men and 35 women, who competed in 15 different sports. This was almost double the previous number of 47 athletes who represented Israel at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. The Games were also Israel's most successful to date, winning four medals, including two gold. At Tokyo, Israel marked its Olympic debuts in surfing (new to the 2020 Games), baseball (returning to the Games), archery, equestrian and marathon swimming.
Israel returned home from Tokyo with two gold and two bronze medals, a record number of medals won by Israel in one Olympics. Artistic gymnast Artem Dolgopyat won the gold medal in the men's floor exercise and rhythmic gymnast Linoy Ashram won the gold medal at the women's rhythmic individual all-around event. Taekwondo practitioner Avishag Semberg won the bronze medal in the Women's 49 kg category and the national judo team won another bronze medal in the mixed team event. Several Israeli athletes advanced to the finals of their respective sporting events, but narrowly missed out on standing on the winner's podium.
Originally scheduled to take place in the summer of 2020, the Games were postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic until 23 July to 8 August 2021. Since Israel's debut in 1952, Israeli athletes have appeared in every edition of the Summer Olympic Games, other than the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, which it opted not to attend because of the nation's support for the US-led boycott. This was Israel's 17th appearance at the Summer Olympics.
Backstroke swimmer Yakov Toumarkin and triple jumper Hanna Knyazyeva-Minenko were chosen as the nation's flag bearers at the opening ceremony and Linoy Ashram was chosen as the nation's flag bearer at the closing ceremony.
Also, for the first time since 11 Israeli athletes and a West German police officer were murdered during the Munich Olympics in 1972 by the Palestinian terrorist group Black September, a moment of silence was held during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
Medalists
Competitors
The Israeli delegation includes 90 athletes, competing in 15 sports.
This was Alexander Shatilov's fourth appearance at the Olympics, and Sergey Richter's, Yakov Toumarkin's, and Misha Zilberman's third appearance. Nine members of the delegation participated in the games for the second time: Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, Gili Cohen, Shlomi Haimy, Sagi Muki, Andrea Murez, Shira Rishony, Or Sasson, Marhu Teferi, and Maor Tiyouri.
This was Alberto Michán's third appearance at the Olympics, but was the first time he represented Israel. Hanna Knyazyeva-Minenko also appeared for the third time at the Olympics, but only for the second time as part of the Israeli delegation.
Seven athletes from the delegation have previously participated in the Youth Olympic Games: Linoy Ashram, Gal Cohen Groumi, Artem Dolgopyat, Anastasia Gorbenko, Denis Loktev, Avishag Semberg, and Yakov Toumarkin.
Schedule
This schedule shows all the events in which Israeli athletes have participated or may participate.
All times and dates use Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
Archery
One Israeli archer qualified directly for the men's individual recurve at the Games, by reaching the quarterfinals and obtaining one of the seven available spots at the 2021 Final Qualification Tournament in Paris, France. This marked Israel's debut in Olympic archery.
Artistic swimming
Israel fielded a squad of two artistic swimmers to compete in the women's duet event, by finishing sixth at the 2021 FINA Olympic Qualification Tournament in Barcelona, Spain.
Athletics
Nine Israeli athletes met the entry standards, either by qualifying time or by world ranking, in the following track and field events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event):
Track & road events
Men
Women
Field events
Badminton
Israel entered two badminton players (one per gender) into the Olympic tournament. Misha Zilberman and Ksenia Polikarpova were selected to compete at the Games each in the men's and women's singles based on the BWF World Race to Tokyo Rankings.
Baseball
The current Israel national baseball team that competes at the 2020 Summer Olympics is composed mostly of American Jews with only four Israeli-born players.
The Israel national baseball team qualified for the Olympics by winning the gold medal at the 2019 WSBC Africa and Europe Qualification Tournament in Italy and securing an outright berth, marking the country's Olympic debut in baseball.