Born: 1975 (Colegiales, Buenos Aires)
Biography:
Daniela Yael Krukower was a former judoka from Argentina. She was born on January 6, 1975, in Colegiales, Buenos Aires, to a Jewish family. At an early age, Daniela moved with her family to Israel, where she was introduced to the sport of judo.
In the mid-90s, Israel had two promising female judokas in the -63 category: Einat Yaron and Daniela Krukower. However, Daniela felt that Yaron was favored by the Israel Judo Association. Since the International Judo Federation limited each country to one participant in each category at the Olympic Games, Daniela made the decision to represent her birth country, Argentina.
Daniela achieved significant success throughout her judo career. In 1997, she won a silver medal in the U66 category at the Maccabiah Games held in Tel Aviv, Israel. However, the highlight of her career came at the World Judo Championships in Osaka.
In the final of the championships, Daniela faced off against Cuban Olympic gold medalist Driulys González. Against all odds, Daniela defeated González with an ippon, securing the gold medal. Her victory catapulted her to celebrity status in Argentina and raised hopes for her performance in the upcoming Olympic Games.
At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Daniela entered as the favorite in her category. She won her first two fights by golden score, but tragedy struck in the semi-final. During the fight against Ayumi Tanimoto from Japan, Daniela suffered a severe hand injury, forcing her to withdraw from the tournament. As a result, Driulys González, whom she had previously defeated, went on to win the bronze medal without a fight. The media in Argentina dubbed Daniela the Iron Lady due to her determination and resilience.
Following her injury, Daniela continued to compete but only managed to achieve continental successes. In the judo competition at the 2005 Maccabiah Games, she won a silver medal, losing to the 17-year-old Alice Schlesinger in the final.
Despite her retirement at the beginning of the 2009/10 season due to a lack of motivation, Daniela Krukower left a lasting impact on the world of judo. Her achievements serve as an inspiration for aspiring athletes and her dedication to the sport has ensured her place in the history of women’s judo.
Awards:
– Silver medal at the 1997 Maccabiah Games in judo U66 category
– Gold medal at the World Judo Championships in Osaka (year not specified)