CHENNAI: Manipur's Linthoi Chanambam on Friday created history as she became the first judoka from the country to win a medal at the World Championships (Cadets). Linthoi, daughter of Ibohal Chanambam, who does fish farming in Mayang Imphal, clinched the gold medal in the -57kg weight category at the ongoing Sarajevo World Championships Cadets 2022 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The 16-year-old, a trainee at the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS), Vijayanagar (Karnataka), has last month finished first at the Asian Cadet Championships.
"She is incredible and the future of the country as far as judo is concerned," Mamuka Kizilashvili, Linthoi's Georgian coach, told this daily from Sarajevo. The teenager was first spotted by the IIS in 2017 during the sub-junior nationals in Warangal, Telangana. "She was 11 years old when she came here. Her dedication is unmatched. Even her younger sister Jenny has recently joined us," added the coach.
Linthoi won five bouts to finish on top of the podium. She defeated her Georgian rival in the first bout by Ippon and then repeated the show in her next bout outclassing the local judoka. She then outpowered her rivals from Poland and France in the next two bouts, once again by Ippon, to storm into the final. The Indian girl defeated Brazilian Reis Bianca by Waza-ari in the summit clash.
Ippon is a move in which a contestant throws his/her opponent on the mat with considerable force and speed so that he/she lands on his/her back. An ippon is also awarded when a contestant immobilizes his/her opponent with a grappling hold-down for 20 seconds, or when an opponent gives up. A Waza-ari is awarded after an action in which the opponent is thrown with control and accuracy, but not to the extent of an Ippon, or held on the back for between 15 and 20 seconds on the mat.
Another IIS coach, Jiwan Sharma, who is also head coach of the national women's team, said Linthoi has already shown her class when she bagged gold at the Asian Cadet Championships. "Despite being a teenager, she never insisted on visiting her parents. In fact, she went to her place only once in the last couple of years. The dedication bore fruits as she created history today (Friday)," Sharma said.
Another Indian judoka, Ishroop Narang will compete in +70kg on Saturday. Only two judokas were sent for the event and their expenses including flight tickets and accommodation were borne by the IIS, said the Georgian coach.