Gorbenko, who won the first medal for the Israeli delegation at the Doha 2024 World Aquatics Championships, finished second in the 400 freestyle final with a time of 4:37.36, behind Great Britain's Freya Colbert, who took gold in 4:37.14. 

Israeli Anastasia Gorbenko shrugged off boos from the Qatari crowd as she went up to collect her medal, and earlier in the post-race poolside interview. "It's not the first time, I've been here for a week," she commented. 

"I've heard all the noise, but I've got earplugs, I'm in my zone. I'm here to do what I love to do, which is sport, I'm here to represent my country. It's not the first time and it won't be the last. At the end of the day I'm here to swim, that's what I do best."

She added: "Whoever doesn't like it it's not my problem, we're here to do sport." She said she had no qualms about going up to collect her medal, despite the hostile reception. 

"I've worked hard for this, I deserve to be on the podium, there's no way I'm going to miss it just because of some little kids. I'm proud to be here, I'm proud to be an Israeli and to represent my country here." She said she has felt completely safe during her stay in Qatar.

"We have a lot of security around us at all times, both Israeli and Qatari, so security is the first thing that they consider before coming here. It's just sport. I think sport and politics should be separated", she commented. 

"But it does affect me emotionally, it's been a long week for me, I expected myself to do better than I did. So to be able to stand on the podium at the end of the week means a lot to me as an athlete and gives me a boost of confidence in this Olympic year," Gorbenko concluded.