Linthoi Chanambam: Meet Indian teen who won Gold at World Cadet Judo Champion

Judoka Linthoi Chanambam: India's Linthoi Chanambam claimed a historic gold at the World Cadet Judo Championship in Sarajevo, becoming the first from the country to win a medal in the tournament across any age-group on Friday. 

Who is Linthoi Chanambam?

Linthoi Chanambam hails from Mayang in Manipur which is known to be the hotspot for judokas. Linthoi's father is a farmer and her mother is a homemaker. She has two other siblings, an older and a younger sister.

Mamuka Kizilashvili coaches her for various judo tournaments.

Linthoi has many feathers in her cap. Apart from being the reigning cadet world champion, she first won a gold at the sub-junior national championship in 2018.

In 2021, she clinched gold in the National Championships in Chandigarh. It was followed by another gold at the Asian Cadet and Junior Judo Championships in July this year.

First ever world championship medal for India! Gold for Linthoi!

“I cannot explain now how I feel but I know I’m very happy with this victory” - Linthoi Chanambam#JudoCadets #Judo #Sport #sarajevo #cadets #JudoKids pic.twitter.com/2YOFW7Pf3z

— Judo (@Judo) August 26, 2022

"I took up Judo in my childhood as I believed myself to be a boy and not a girl And, as a kid, I hardly had friends who were girls. Most of them were boys," a beaming Linthoi said during a virtual media interaction, a PTI report said.

Linthoi was only 13 when the Sports Authority of India (SAI) started funded her. The 16-year-old Linthoi, who became the first Indian to win a medal in the World Championships across any age-group, used to beat up boys while growing up at Mayang Imphal, around 25km from state capital Imphal, a PTI report said. 

She scripted history by defeating Brazilian Bianca Reis in the women's 57kg category event final on Friday.