Israel's great medal hope in women's judo has been delivered. Inbar Lanir, who claimed the world title in the under-78kg category last year, has clinched the Israeli delegation's first Olympic medal in Paris.
She bested world No. 2 Anna Maria Wagner of Germany with a spectacular throw for ippon, propelling her into the final, where she lost in a heroic battle againt Italy's Alice Bellandi - thereby securing a silver medal.
Lanir's achievement marks the first time an Israeli Judoka has reached an Olympic final since Yael Arad's historic performance in Barcelona 1992.
The third-ranked Israeli began her Olympic campaign with a bye into the round of 16, where she swiftly dispatched 28th-ranked Khuslen Otgonbayar of Mongolia, securing victory by ippon in under three minutes.
Lanir's quarterfinal bout pitted her against Guusje Steenhuis of the Netherlands, the world's eighth-ranked competitor whom she had never previously defeated. Today, however, Lanir broke that streak with a lightning-fast ippon just 23 seconds into the match, punching her ticket to the semifinals.
