Shira Rishony

Shira Rishony (; born 21 February 1991) is an Israeli retired She competes at 48 kg (under 106 pounds). She competed for Israel at the 2016 Summer Olympics. At the 2020 Summer Olympics she won a bronze medal in the mixed team event, and placed 5th in the women's 48 kg event. She won a bronze medal at the 2022 European Championships. Rishony represented Israel at the 2024 Summer Olympics in judo; in the women's 48 kg she came in 17th, and in the mixed team event Team Israel came in ninth.

Early and personal life Rishony was born in Holon, Israel, and is Jewish. At the age of five, she was sent by her mother to learn ballet, despite her desire to learn judo. Rishony speaks Hebrew, English, and Spanish.

Judo career Her club is the Netanya Gladiator Judo Club in Israel. 2012, 2017, 2019, and 2023, won the silver medal in the competition in 2014 and 2015, and won the bronze medal in 2007 and 2011.

In 2009, Rishony won gold medals in the 2009 Maccabiah Games, and the Junior Tour U20 Izmir 'Cehat Sener'.

In 2012, Rishony won the gold medal in the IJF World Cup Tashkent, and took the bronze medals in the World Cup Bucharest and the World Cup Istanbul. Rishony won the gold medal at the 2013 Tashkent Grand Prix, and a bronze medal at 2013 Almaty Grand Prix, but was injured in a competition in Germany and lost six months of training and competition. and the Pan American Open San Salvador. In May, she finished in 5th place at the 2015 World Masters in Rabat.

Rishony won the silver medal at the 2016 Havana Grand Prix.

2016 Rio Olympics Rishony, ranked 20th in the world, competed for Israel at the 2016 Summer Olympics in women's 48 kg, taking the additional place of Europe. In her first bout she was deemed to have illegally touched her opponent's leg with her elbow in her match against Ukrainian Maryna Cherniak, and was disqualified for illegal use of her elbow at 2:10 of her first bout. After the loss, she admitted "I still don't understand why I was disqualified." In tears, Rishony said: "I'm still in shock, I felt I was ready and it hurts me that I couldn't give my all and that it all ended before it really began... I was surprised by the decision of the judge... It's hard to put in words how much you give and how much you sacrifice and how much you dream of this moment. You certainly don't imagine it ending like this."

2017–19 Rishony won a silver medal at the 2017 Antalya Grand Prix, and a bronze medal at the 2017 Baku Grand Slam. In her first match, she beat Colombia's Luz Álvarez by ippon, advancing to the round of 16. There, she submitted Spaniard 2021 World Championships bronze medalist Julia Figueroa who was seeded 5th in the Olympics. In the Quarterfinals, Rishony lost to former world champion, Mongolian Mönkhbatyn Urantsetseg, moving her to compete for a chance to win bronze through the Repechage. There, Rishont beat Taiwanese Lin Chen-hao, advancing to fight for the bronze medal. She lost the bronze medal match to Ukrainian former two-times world champion Daria Bilodid, finishing in fifth place.

2021–present; European championships bronze medal Rishony won bronze medals as the 2021 Antalya Grand Slam and the 2021 Baku Grand Slam.

Titles Source: Year Tournament Place Ref. 2013 Grand Prix Almaty Grand Prix Antalya 2018 Grand Prix Hohhot 2019 Grand Prix Tel Aviv Grand Prix Hohhot Grand Prix Montreal Grand Slam Brasilia 2021 Grand Slam Antalya Grand Slam Baku 2022 European Championships 2023 Grand Prix Almada Grand Slam Antalya

Israeli championships Partial list: 2009 2017 2019 2014 2007 2011