An Israeli windsurfer has won the first gold medal ever for Israel. Mazel tov!

ATHENS, Greece - A windsurfer whose first name means “wave” in Hebrew gave Israel its first Olympic gold medal ever Wednesday, taking a plunge in the Saronic Gulf to celebrate. Gal Fridman sailed a remarkably consistent regatta, never finishing worse than eighth in the 11-race series. He placed second in Wednesday’s decisive race.

After Fridman crossed the finish line, he took a victory dip and then wrapped himself in an Israeli flag when he came out of the water.

Fridman’s victory finally gives Israelis the chance to hear their national anthem during a medal ceremony, scheduled for later in the day. The song is “Hatikvah” — The Hope — and Israeli fans sang it spontaneously last week when Ariel Zeevi won a bronze medal in judo.