Sharon Kantor

Sharon Kantor (; born 28 January 2003) is an Israeli windsurfer. 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 Olympics, Kantor won the silver medal in the Women's iQFoil in Marseille, France.

Early life Kantor was born and raised in moshav Avihayil, and is Jewish. 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. Her father, Steven, was the Israeli national squash champion, and for a decade was the chairman of the Israel Squash Association. 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.

Windsurfing career

Kantor belongs to the Michmoret Emek Hefer Sailing Club. Commenting on her approach to windsurfing competition, she said: "the most important thing for me has been to enjoy what I'm doing." 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. She also won a silver medal in the under-21 category. Kantor won a bronze medal in January 2023 at the World Cup in the island of Lanzarote, Spain.

In July 2023 she won a gold medal at the pre-Olympic competition in Marseille, France.

2024; World Champion and Olympic silver medalist At the 2024 iQFoil 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. Following her victory, it was decided that she will represent Israel at the 2024 Paris Olympics. 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."

Representing Israel at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Kantor won the silver medal in the Women's iQFoil. She is Israel's first female Olympic medalist in sailing.