Ela Bar Lev Wins Historic Cadet World Judo Championship Gold for Israel

Israeli judoka Ela Bar Lev made history by winning the gold medal at the Cadet World Judo Championships (under 18) held in Ecuador on August 21, 2026. Competing in the under 48 kg weight category, Bar Lev delivered a flawless performance throughout the tournament. She secured victories by yuko and ippon against opponents from Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, and Brazil, reaching the final where she faced Belgium's fourth-ranked Miles Dufa. The final match extended into golden score, where Bar Lev executed a decisive turn and sankaku hold to clinch the world title, becoming the first Israeli female judoka to win the cadet world championship.

Another Israeli competitor, Agam Noy, also earned a bronze medal in the same weight class. Noy won her initial matches against Kazakhstan and Chile but lost in the quarterfinals to Russia. She then advanced through the repechage bracket, defeating an Italian opponent and winning the bronze medal match against Brazil’s Mikayla Santos after a controversial illegal arm lock by her opponent led to a referee decision in her favor.

Israel’s head coach for the national teams, Shani Reshko, praised the athletes and coaching staff for their outstanding achievements and teamwork, highlighting the historic nature of having two Israeli judokas on the podium in the same weight category. The team now looks forward to continuing their competition in the following days.