NAME: Inbar LANIR
COUNTRY: ISRAEL
CATEGORY: -78KG
WORLD RANKING POINTS: 7760
What a year is has been for the 23 year-old of Israel. Since 2021, Lanir has been finding herself on the podium of the -78kg category with her explosive judo, her ura nage becoming a technique her opponents avoid at all costs. But it was this year in particular where Lanir has really landed on the circuit and dominated the weight category.
Lanir’s roll was initiated in the Tbilisi Grand Slam, earning a bronze medal and seemingly clearing the path for great things to come.
This year saw an earlier World Championships in May, held in Doha, where Lanir took her first world title, defeating the likes of Alice BELLANDI (ITA) and Audrey TCHEUMEO (FRA) in her bid for glory. Once she had established her front runner position, it seemed little could stop her. A grand slam gold came in Ulaanbaatar, and then a second major title in the Hungary IJF Masters with wins agains LEE Jeongyun (KOR) and another French heavy-hitter, Madeleine MALONGA.
Lanir has continued her success through to the end of the year, claiming a bronze medal in the Senior European Championships in Montpellier, only losing out to the eventual winner, Alina BOEHM (GER). Finally it was a silver medal for Lanir in the Tokyo Grand Slam, defeated by the three-time world champion and three-time Olympic medallist Mayra AGUIAR (BRA).
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen