Jordan's first Olympic medal winner hailed in Israeli town 'he once called home'

Ahmad Abughaush has turned overnight into a Jordanian national hero after the Taekwondo champion won the Arab kingdom's first ever Olympic Games medal on Thursday.

"King Abdullah rang this morning. He told me 'you've put the face of Jordan on the map. all Jordanians are very happy about result - god helped you to get it."

As well as blue-blooded callers the 20-year-old has received hundreds of text messages, and a deluge of new friends requests on Facebook.

Abughaush's win also lead to celebrations in the Arab Israeli town of Abu Ghosh, with residents handing out sweets and holding street parties. 

According to Israeli media, Abughaush was born in Abu Gosh and still has relatives there. 

The gold medal winner's grandparents moved from the Israeli town just west of Jerusalem to Jordan decades ago, according to Israeli news website Ynet.

Ibrahim Mahmoud, from Abu Ghosh told Ynet, "his mother is my aunt, and we are all proud. We all followed and watched the competition. It is a great honor for Abu Ghosh. They no longer live here, but they come and visit occasionally." 

"No one back home slept last night, they were all watching Ahmad," said Hazem Neimat, deputy mayor of Amman and part of Jordan's taekwondo delegation in Rio.

"There will be an official reception waiting for him when he lands at the airport.

"The head of government will be there, and Prince Faisal Jordan's Olympic chief, and Prince Rashid, head of the country's taekwondo federation.

"Ahmad's won Jordan's first medal, and he's the first Arab to win a taekwondo medal.

"All the media will be there, he'll get a hero's welcome."

For media-rookie Ahmad, winning the men's under-68kg division gold was the easy bit.

"After his tenth interview today he told me this is harder than winning last night's final!" said David Williams representing Jordan's Olympic Committee.

Abughaush, who will resume his sports Science degree at the University of Jordan once his life has calmed down, first became interested in the ancient Korean combat sport as a child.

"I was six, and got into it through my brother," he said in Arabic with Neimat serving as translator.

"I love taekwondo because of its spirit, and discipline.

"My family are very disciplined, it's like family. My coach is like my godfather.

"And I like the fighting, I've got the mentality for it, I'm never scared."

Staff with agencies