Israeli Sharon Kantor wins gold at windsurfing World Championships

Athlete secures spot at Paris Olympics with first place finish at tournament; fellow Israeli Katy Spychakov takes bronze

By ToI Staff 3 February 2024, 7:31 pm 6

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Sharon Kantor wins the iQFoil World Championships in the Canary Islands, Spain, February 3, 2024. (Social media: YouTube/@masmartv; used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

Israeli windsurfer Sharon Kantor on Saturday won a gold medal at the iQFoil World Championships, punching her ticket to the Paris Olympics this summer.

“Amazing, I worked so hard today,” Kantor, 21, told a reporter after the race in the Canary Islands. “I had so much fun at this event. I had ups and downs, so grateful.”

Israel’s Katy Spychakov, 24, also had a strong showing, finishing third behind Kantor and Britain’s Emma Wilson at the competition in Lanzarote.

“I wanted more today, but I guess that’s going to be enough for today and we’ll see what’s next for me,” Spychakov said.

No Israelis won medals on the men’s side.

Spychakov was the runner-up at last year’s tournament, which was won by Israel’s Shahar Tibi, 26. The two represented Israel at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where they respectively placed sixth and eighth overall.

Kantor is relatively new to international competitions. Last year, she took the silver at the European Championships.