Just before his IDF enlistment as an outstanding athlete, 17-year-old Yonatan Drozhininov from Pardes Hanna-Karkur achieved an impressive milestone by winning the Israeli Youth Championship in the 1,500-meter race. In about a week, he will represent Israel in an international competition in Belgium — another highlight in a packed season, just before transitioning to a new path: full military service. In a conversation with RegaNEWS, he spoke about the challenges and experiences that come with choosing competitive sports under the shadow of war.
Yonatan’s win this week came during a competition held in Jerusalem, as part of the Israeli Youth and Cadet Athletics Championship: “I competed in the 1,500-meter heat, which is the distance I focus on the most, along with 800 and 3,000 meters. I came, I ran — and I took first place,” he says.
Not His First Time on the Podium
This is not Yonatan’s first time on the podium. In 2022, he won a silver medal in the 1,500-meter event as a cadet, and in 2023 he won both the 1,500 and 800 meters. “This current win is very emotional. It shows that hard work really pays off, that I can bring out the best in myself when it matters most, and prove what I’m capable of.”
Behind the success is an intense training routine: six sessions a week, sometimes twice a day. “I run almost every day, except Saturday,” he describes. “On Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, the workouts are especially intense. In April, I also participated in a month-long training camp in France. It really gave me a boost ahead of the competitions in Israel.”
A Whole Year Condensed into Minutes
Yonatan discovered running in mid-2021, after turning 14. “I haven’t stopped since,” he says. The hardest part, he notes, is mental: “It’s not easy to know that everything you’ve worked on for a year comes down to a single four-minute race. There’s a lot of pressure. You have to believe in yourself and execute everything precisely.”
Around him, friends and family are closely involved in the journey. “My friends are really excited. It’s not a very well-known sport, so they ask a lot of questions. They’re genuinely interested. It gives me a lot of motivation,” he says. “My family helps with everything — logistics, travel, mental support. Just being there, which might be the most important thing.”
From the Track to the Army Track
Next Sunday, August 17, Yonatan will enlist in the IDF as an outstanding athlete. Until then, he’ll still compete in an international event in Belgium — the final opportunity this season to continue representing Israel. “It’s very emotional,” he shares. “Especially after the war, I felt the meaning of wearing the national team uniform became stronger. At the European Championship, when they said my name and then ‘State of Israel,’ it was a powerful moment. It sharpened my desire to put our flag on the map — and to keep representing the country with pride.”
Israeli Pride
When asked if he has encountered antisemitism in international competitions, he answers cautiously: “99% of the time everything was fine. But at the 2022 European Championship, there was one time we experienced unpleasant remarks from an athlete on another team. It didn’t affect us; we didn’t give it too much attention. But it did happen — and that was even before the war.”
He speaks about the future with confidence, but also humility: “My goal is to keep progressing, including in adult competitions. Next year, I hope to be competitive at higher levels — European, global, everything in its time.”
In closing, he offers simple, direct advice to the next generation of young athletes: “Go train. Train smart. Understand that it takes time — you can’t succeed instantly. You need patience. If you stick with it, you’ll see results.”
