Linthoi Chanambam becomes first Indian to win medal at Junior Judo Worlds

Imphal, Oct 7
Linthoi Chanambam, a 19-year-old judoka from Manipur, became the first Indian to win a medal at the Junior Judo World Championships, clinching a bronze in the women’s 63kg category in Lima, Peru, on Tuesday.
At the medal ceremony, Linthoi was seen holding back tears while smiling, capturing a moment of pride for Indian judo.
Linthoi defeated the Netherlands’ Joni Geilen in the bronze medal bout after advancing through the repechage route, following an earlier loss to Japan’s So Morichika in the Group D stage.
Despite receiving an early penalty for blocking her opponent, Linthoi regained control with a strong attack that forced Geilen on the defensive. The match remained closely contested until Linthoi secured a decisive hold-down to seal victory and make history for India.
Earlier in June 2025, Linthoi had created another milestone by becoming the first Indian judoka to win a gold medal at the Berlin Junior European Cup, also in the 63kg category.
She trains under the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) in Karnataka and began her judo journey at the age of eight in Mayang Imphal, Manipur.
For her achievements in judo, Linthoi was honoured with the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2024 by President Droupadi Murmu in recognition of her outstanding performance in sports. She received a medal and certificate from the President for her contribution to Indian judo. NE Now