Meet Linthoi Chanambam: India's first Judo World Champion

The 16-year-old won the gold medal at the World Cadet Judo Championship in Women's 57kg category.

How common is the sight of young children practising martial arts in the neighbourhood of any metropolitan city? However, how uncommon it is for these young children to take up martial arts as a career!

The motive behind parents enrolling their children in martial arts coaching is straightforward. First of all, it creates self-defence strength in the child and secondly, it’s a great value addition to the child’s long list of hobbies. Yes, parents in the ‘tier 1’ can’t help but think this way.

Prod them on the lines of exploring martial arts from a professional point of view and they will frown upon it. ‘Not as lucrative as cricket’ will be their counter. A few upgrades in the belt colour make their content. It’s ironic how a child’s progress also catalyzes his downfall. For parents, the belt's colour change also implies the child’s hobby change.

Manipuri kid on the block

At the World Cadet Judo Championship, Linthoi Chanambam created history by becoming the first Indian to win a gold medal by defeating Brazil’s Bianca Reis in Women’s 57 Kg category. At only 16, Chanambam became the world champion - A feat no other Indian judoka has achieved. 

The entire nation is fortunate that the parents of Linthoi Chanambam aren’t of the same mould. Chanambam’s father was instrumental in her tryst with the world of sports. From an early age, she was encouraged to go out and play. She initially found a liking for football and boxing but when she took judo, there was no looking back.

Linthoi Chanambam first took up judo training in 2014 at Mayai Lambi Sports Academy in Imphal, Manipur. She had a smooth induction as the sport of martial arts has always been a part of the state’s culture. Then, the Georgian coach Kizilashvili spotted her power and prowess when she was competing at a sub-junior national championship in Telangana. 

She was subsequently recruited by the IIS in Bellary, Karnataka in October 2017 led by the JSW Group. The training base specialises in training athletes across five Olympic sports - Athletics, Boxing, Judo, Swimming, and Wrestling

Achievements

The medal rush soon began. Chanambam won gold medals at the sub-junior level in the 2018 Sub-junior National Judo Championship and the 2021 National Sub-junior and Cadet Judo Championship, and two more golds both in 2022 - At the Junior level in the Asian Cadet and Junior Judo Championship, and Khelo India Youth Games. 

Chanambam also won a bronze medal at the 2021 Asia Oceania Cadet and Junior Judo Championship which was held in Lebanon, Beirut. The fact that she was eager to take on elder girls and even boys on the mat during the initial stages of her career reflects in her body language.

Her bright future can be predicted from the fact that she won her first four bouts in the World Cadet Judo Championship via Ippon. Ippon is the highest score in judo. She doesn’t believe in setting unrealistic goals though. “I don’t know if I’m ready for Paris, but I’ll try my best. But I’m certainly looking forward to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles,” Chanambam says.

The Judoka thanked JSW, IIS, and her coach for training, identifying her potential, and putting faith in her at such a young age and hoped to repay their faith by winning more medals.

She wishes to follow in the footsteps of Majlinda Kelmendi who became the first athlete to win a gold medal for Kosovo at the Olympics in 2016. And Chanambam will, her hunger is insatiable as she will sacrifice anything and everything for success - be it the comfort of her home or the complacency of her present success for bigger and better rewards in future.