A long-awaited gold for the Israelis through wind-surfer Gal Fridman. (USA Today)

"Fridman wants his medal to have a legacy of many things — an end to the killing among them.

'Fighting should start in the water,' he said. 'If you want to fight someone, fight them in sports. This is our job as an athlete, to show the other side of Israelis. All the people I know want peace.

'One of my best friends is Turkish. I call him my Muslim brother. He calls me his Jewish brother. In sailing, we are all friends.'

He can speak of such things now, and people might listen. He is a gold medalist. He held it his hands Wednesday, as the people flooded around, in a moment too important not to share."