Israeli wind surfer, the first ever Gold Medal winner for Israel, Gal Fridman celebrates after crossing the finish line for his victory in the Men's Windsurfer- Mistral class last race at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. (AFP)

Windsurfer Gal Fridman, who made history when he became the first Israeli to win an Olympic gold medal, paused in his celebrations to pay tribute to the memory of the 11 Israelis killed at the 1972 Munich Games.

"I think of them regularly," said Fridman, 28.

Fridman wasn't born when, on September 5, 1972, eight gunmen from a Palestinian group calling themselves Black September burst into the apartment block at the athletes' village housing the Israeli team, shot two men dead and took the rest hostage.

In a botched attempt by German security forces to free the hostages, 11 Israelis were killed.

"When I return to Israel, I'll go to the memorial to show them the gold medal," Fridman vowed.

Fridman was a bronze medallist in Atlanta in 1996, and a world champion, but he said the Olympic victory was especially sweet because of the attention his efforts had received at home.

"Israeli people were constantly asking for the Mistral races to be broadcast life on TV, which finally happened today," said Fridman, who relegated Nikolaos Kaklamanakis of Greece and Briton Nick Dempsey into the silver and bronze places.

"So all the country was watching the race. When after the start I felt a bit tired, it was as though the whole country was pushing me to the win."

Until Wednesday, Israel's Olympic haul was just one silver and three bronze.

Fridman finished in second place on Wednesday in the 11th and final race of the event having clinched four top three places here, building up a big enough points advantage to take top spot.

It was also Israel's second medal of the Games following Ariel Zeevi's judo bronze and the win bettered the country's previous best of female judoka Yael Arad's silver medal from Barcelona in 1992.

Fridman's win sparked huge celebrations at home in Israel.

Speaking to Fridman by phone shortly after the result, Israeli President Moshe Katsav congratulated him on his win.

"We are all very proud of you," he told him in a live broadcast on Israel army radio.

"You have given us great pleasure and happiness. I, like everyone else, have followed your struggle and you have fulfilled everything you promised and won us the first gold medal in the history of Israel.

The windsurfer told the president he was stunned by the win.

"I still don't believe it," he said.

"I felt the support of the whole state behind me. It was unbelievable."

Sports Minister Limor Livnat also praised Fridman's achievement.

"It's hugely exciting. I am very happy for him," she told the radio.

Livnat said she had already spoken to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon who watched the race live on television.

"He is very excited and very happy," she added.

(Agencies)

relegate: assign to a lower position; reduce in rank（降級）

haul: the quantity that was caught（努力獲得的結(jié)果，上文指獲得的獎(jiǎng)牌）