NEW DELHI: Linthoi Chanambam, an Indian teenager, won a historic gold medal in the World Cadet Judo Championship in Sarajevo, becoming the first athlete from her nation to accomplish so in any age division.
In the women's 57kg competition held in the city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the 15-year-old Manipur native overcame Brazil's Bianca Reis to take first place on the podium.
"LINTHOI WINS FIRST WORLDS GOLD EVER. At the Cadet World Championships 2022, Linthoi Chanambam (W-57kg), the reigning Asian champion, defeats Bianca Reis 1-0 to win. She makes history by winning the first-ever medal for India in the Worlds in any age group, becoming the champion "In a tweet on Friday, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) stated.
Linthoi is a member of the "TOPScheme" development group, according to SAI.
She began India's medal tally at the Asian Cadet & Junior Judo Championship 2022 in Bangkok in July by winning a gold medal on the third day of competition. Linthoi won the gold medal in the 63 kg division of the cadet competition.
Since no other Indian judoka has ever placed on the podium at a world championship or the junior worlds, Linthoi's medal has greater significance.
Following her win in the Asian Cadet and Junior Judo Championship 2022 in Bangkok, where she won the gold medal, Linthoi declared her entry into the continental judo scene last month.
Linthoi, who comes from a farming family in Imphal, is one of the very few judokas to participate in the union sports ministry's exclusive Target Olympic Podium (TOP) programme. The TOPs programme is primarily designed for top athletes who are considered medal contenders for the Olympics.
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