Sharon Kantor

Sharon Kantor
שרון קנטור
Personal information
Native nameשרון קנטור‎
National teamIsrael
Born (2003-01-28) 28 January 2003 (age 21)
Avihayil, Israel
Sport
SportWindsurfing
EventIQFoil
ClubMichmoret Emek Hefer Sailing Club
Coached byShahar Tzuberi[1][2]
Medal record
Sailing
Representing  Israel
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2024 Paris iQFoil
iQFoil World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2024 Lanzarote iQFoil
iQFoil European Championships
Silver medal – second place 2023 Patras iQFoil
Updated on 3 August 2024

Sharon Kantor (Hebrew: שרון קנטור; born 28 January 2003) is an Israeli world champion and Olympic windsurfer.[3] Competing in the IQFoil class, she won the silver medal at the 2023 European Championships, and the gold medal at the 2024 World Championships. Representing Israel at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Kantor won the silver medal in the Women's IQ Foil in Marseille, France.

Early life

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Kantor was born and raised in moshav Avihayil, and is Jewish.[4][5] Her mother Nurith Dinte had moved to Israel from Australia, and her father Steven Kantor had moved to Israel from South Africa, both at five years of age.[6][5][7] Her father, Steven, was the Israeli national squash champion, and for a decade was the chairman of the Israel Squash Association.[7][8] Sharon is the middle child in her family, with two brothers and two sisters. She attended Ramot Yam High School in Michmoret, Israel, graduating with honors.[9][10]

Windsurfing career

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Kantor belongs to the Michmoret Emek Hefer Sailing Club.[9] She is coached by Israeli former Olympic windsurfing bronze medalist Shahar Tzuberi.[7] She trains with the Israeli team primarily at Sdot Yam, and also trains in the Kinneret, Eilat, Kishon, Haifa, and Herzliya.[11] Commenting on her approach to windsurfing competition, she said: "the most important thing for me has been to enjoy what I'm doing."[12]

Early years; U17 World Championship bronze medalist

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Kantor began windsurfing at the age of 10, participating in competitions at the age of 11, and at 13 won her first international title in a competition for youths under 15.[12][13] In 2018 she won the European Under-17 Bic Techno Championship in Athens, Greece, and then the same year won a bronze medal in the Techno 293 World Championships in the under-17 category in Liepāja, Latvia.[14][12][5]

2023; European Championship silver medalist

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In 2023 Kantor represented Israel at the European Windsurfing Championships in May in the IQFoil class, during which she won four races, and consequently won a silver medal.[15][16] She also won a silver medal in the under-21 category.[17] Kantor won a bronze medal in January 2023 at the World Cup in the island of Lanzarote, Spain.[18]

In July 2023 she won a gold medal at the pre-Olympic competition in Marseille, France.[17] In December, at the last World Series competition before the World Championships, in Lanzarote Kantor won a gold medal after leading the 72-competitor field from day 1. She defeated two fellow Israeli sailors, Tamar Steinberg who won the silver medal, and formerly Olympian Katy Spychakov who won the bronze medal, for an all-Israel podium.[17][19]

2024; World Champion and Olympic silver medalist

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At the iQFoil 2024 World Championships held in Lanzarote, Canary Islands, in February, the 21-year-old Kantor won the gold medal, ahead of Emma Wilson from Britain and Katy Spychakov from Israel.[20] Following her victory, it was decided that she will represent Israel at the 2024 Paris Olympics.[21][22] She said: "Standing on that podium, draped in the Israeli flag alongside my fellow competitor Katy Spychakov, was a moment of pure elation and fulfillment."[5] Commenting on how the Israel–Hamas war impacted her preparation, she said: "At the beginning of the war, it was very difficult to concentrate on training, and not let what was happening interfere. If I represent the country - that's my mission."[23][24]

Representing Israel at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Kantor won the silver medal in the Women's IQ Foil.[25] She is Israel's first female Olympic medalist in sailing.[26]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "On the way to Paris: surfer Sharon Kantor won gold in the pre-Olympic competition". MivzakLive News. 16 July 2023.
  2. ^ Esi Maman (27 January 2023). "Sharon Kantor secured a medal at the World Cup in Lanzarote". TIme News.
  3. ^ "Sailor Profile; Sharon Kantor". World Sailing.
  4. ^ Jacob Gurvis (August 8, 2024). "All the Jewish Medalists at the 2024 Paris Olympics,"
  5. ^ a b c d Chandrea Serebro (11 April 2024). "Wind-ing up to the Olympic Games". Telfed.
  6. ^ ברנע, רעות (4 February 2024). "אלופת עולם: שרון קנטור מצאה את התאומה שלא ידעה על קיומה". מגזין.
  7. ^ a b c צנציפר, נדב (3 February 2024). "ריאיון מיוחד | אחרי שהוכתרה לאלופת העולם, שרון קנטור בעננים: "מצפה מעצמי להפוך לאלופה אולימפית"". Ynet.
  8. ^ עידו רקובסקי (4 February 2024). ""באתי ליהנות": שרון קנטור פיצחה את החיים, ועל הדרך הפכה לאלופת עולם". Haaretz הארץ (in Hebrew). Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  9. ^ a b דותן מלאך. "אני רוצה שיכירו אותי וישמעו יותר על הספורט שלנו". Makor Rishon. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  10. ^ ערן נבון (12 April 2024). "כוכבת ים: אחרי רגעי השבירה - שרון קנטור חולמת על מדליה". Israel HaYom.
  11. ^ דותן מלאך (6 July 2023). ""אני רוצה שיכירו אותי וישמעו יותר על הספורט שלנו"". Makor Rishon.
  12. ^ a b c "3 questions à Sharon Kantor". Windsurf Journal.
  13. ^ Ifargan, Stav (6 February 2024). "Israel primed for Olympic glory with 4 world champions set to compete". Ynet.
  14. ^ "Champions". International Windsurfing Association.
  15. ^ ברטל, ליאור (14 May 2023). "מדליית כסף לגולשת הרוח שרון קנטור באליפות אירופה בדגם IQ פויל". דבר העובדים בארץ ישראל (in Hebrew). Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  16. ^ "המרוץ לפריז מתחמם- שרון קנטור סגנית אלופת אירופה בגלישת רוח". איגוד השייט בישראל (in Hebrew). 16 May 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  17. ^ a b c צנציפר, נדב (16 July 2023). "שייט: שרון קנטור זכתה בזהב בתחרות הקדם אולימפית". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  18. ^ "Un final épique !". Windsurf Journal.
  19. ^ "Kantor et van Opzeeland vainqueurs à Lanzarote". Windsurf Journal.
  20. ^ "Israeli Sharon Kantor wins gold at windsurfing World Championships; Athlete secures spot at Paris Olympics with first place finish at tournament; fellow Israeli Katy Spychakov takes bronze". The Times of Israel. 3 February 2024.
  21. ^ רותם פלדברג (3 February 2024). "שרון קנטור אלופת העולם בגלישת רוח - ערוץ הספורט". Sport5.co.il - אתר ערוץ הספורט (in Hebrew). Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  22. ^ Zenziper, Nadav (3 February 2024). "Israeli star windsurfer Sharon Kantor crowned world champion; With iQFOiL Worlds triumph, 21-year-old Kantor secures spot in 2024 Paris Olympics; fellow compatriot Katy Spychakov bags bronze". Ynet. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  23. ^ Lian Wildau (15 February 2024). "Most satisfying to show how strong Israel is, windsurfer says after winning gold at World Championship". All Israel News.
  24. ^ Rakovsky, Ido (3 February 2024). "Sharon Kantor won the World Windsurfing Championships, Katy Spychakov finished third". Haaretz (in Hebrew). Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  25. ^ "Historic day at Olympics: Israel wins gold, 2 silvers in windsurfing and gymnastics; Windsurfers Tom Reuveny and Sharon Kantor land gold and silver, artistic gymnast Artem Dolgopyat scores silver, as country sets new record with 6 medals at Games – and 3 in a single day," The Times of Israel.
  26. ^ "Olympic Sailing 2024: Israel are charting a new path in Men’s and Women’s Windsurfing," World Sailing.
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