Between Anatomy and Acrobatics

Almog Green, a student at the Technion’s Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, placed second in the Acrobatic Gymnastics World Championship held this summer in Portugal. Green trains and competes in the Women’s Pair category. Unlike rhythmic gymnastics, acrobatics involves no equipment – the athletes rely solely on their bodies to perform flips, pyramids, and more, with teamwork being a key component.

Green entered the world of gymnastics at the age of three in a “kids’ class where we did cute little forward rolls,” as she puts it. The head of the acrobatics association at the time, scouting for talented children, spotted her when she was four and told her father she had real potential. “My dad was shocked, but by age six, I joined the Maccabi Dan club, progressing from there to the Israeli National Acrobatic Team and winning the Israeli Championship and international competitions.”

Almog Green (on the floor) and partner Orian Yehudah. Photo credit: Noya Gindes

Almog balanced her 2023-24 training year, which culminated in the World Championship, alongside her first year of studies at the Rappaport Faculty of Medicine. “I knew for a long time that I wanted to study medicine because of the challenge and the opportunity to meet people – both patients and professionals. I love challenges, learning and growth, and this profession suits me perfectly. My mom and older sister are both doctors, and my younger brother is studying medicine in the elite Atuda program.”

She was accepted into the Faculty of Medicine two years ago but decided to defer her studies to prepare for the World Championship. To save time, she started studying biology at Tel Aviv University, then reapplied for medical school and was accepted at both the Technion and Hebrew University. “There was something very appealing about the Technion – the location, the atmosphere, and the people. They also told us we could meet the dean, Prof. Ami Aronheim, before the school year. I met with him and explained that this would be a demanding year, as I’d be preparing for the World Championship in acrobatics. He made it clear that there would be no compromise on academic requirements but assured me the Faculty would be supportive in other ways. For example, if I missed the first exam round due to a competition, I was allowed to take an additional round.”

Reflecting on her first year, she’s very positive – even enthusiastic. “The Faculty exposes students to the real clinical world right from the first year, through courses like anatomy and ‘Clinical Tuesdays.’ It was a fascinating year, and I’m pleased with my grades as well.”

In addition to her studies, she maintained a rigorous training schedule – five sessions a week, each lasting six hours, and even more leading up to competitions. “I knew I had to keep up with my studies during the semester and not leave things for the end, as I wouldn’t have flexibility during exam periods. In the end, I truly enjoyed both worlds – studying and acrobatics. It was challenging, with no shortage of fatigue.”

Green currently trains with the Begin Holon club, through which she won the World Championship at the senior level. “I have six medals from European Championships and three from World Cups, some of them gold, and a medal from the World Championship was my dream. My next goal is the ‘World Games’ – the Olympics for non-Olympic sports, set to take place next year, but that depends on my study workload.”