01In brief
Linda Bolder (born July 3, 1988) is a Dutch-born judoka who represented Israel in the women's under-70-kilogram category. She moved to Israel with her Jewish husband in 2014 and began competing for the country in 2015. Bolder reached the quarterfinals at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and finished seventh, contributing to what was described as Israel's strongest Olympic judo performance to that point.
02Early Life and Path to Israeli Representation
Bolder was born in the Netherlands on July 3, 1988.[1] She moved from the Netherlands to Israel in 2014 following her Jewish husband.[3][4] She began representing Israel at the start of 2015.[4]
Before joining the Israeli team, Bolder had already established herself as an international judoka, earning a silver medal at the 2013 European Championships.[4] In the pre-Rio period counted by ONE, her record included two Grand Slam medals and four Grand Prix medals.[6]
03Career with the Israeli National Team
Bolder's 2015 season offered a mix of high points and disappointments. At the 2015 Grand Prix in Zagreb, she claimed gold in the up-to-70-kilogram division, defeating Britain's Megan Fletcher and Canada's Kelita Zupancic on the way to the semifinal and then overcoming Germany's Szaundra Diedrich. In the final, she defeated Britain's Sally Conway by ippon in just 1 minute and 11 seconds.[7]
The same year also brought setbacks. At the 2015 European Championships, she was eliminated in her opening bout by Hungary's Sabina Garsak, who scored a yuko and a waza-ari.[8] At the 2015 World Championships, Bolder — ranked ninth in the world at the time — was knocked out in the first round by Spain's Bernabeu, ranked 23rd, who won by hold-down and eventually earned the silver medal.[9]
In January 2016, Bolder rebounded with a Grand Prix gold medal in Havana, Cuba, raising expectations ahead of the Rio Olympics despite her not yet having won a medal for Israel at a major championship.[10][1] Her preparation was then disrupted by an injury that kept her out of the events immediately preceding the Games, although she remained on Israel's Olympic roster.[4]
042016 Rio Olympics
Bolder was part of Israel's 2016 Olympic delegation to Rio de Janeiro, described as the largest in Israeli history, with 48 qualifying athletes competing across 16 events.[2] She entered the women's under-70-kilogram judo division and had been identified as a realistic Israeli medal candidate if she received favorable matchups.[11]
She advanced to the quarterfinals before losing to Great Britain's Sally Conway.[3] After the loss, Bolder entered the repechage but was defeated by Spain's Bernabeu, ending her opportunity to reach the bronze-medal contest.[3] She finished seventh overall.[5] Fellow Israeli judokas Yarden Gerbi and Or Sasson won bronze medals at the same Games, while Bolder's run contributed to what Ynet described as Israel's strongest collective Olympic judo performance to that point.[2][5]
05Legacy
After Rio, Ynet reported that Bolder was not expected to continue through another Olympic campaign and might retire.[5] A 2020 ONE retrospective described her as one of the foreign-born members of the Rio women's team who had since retired, confirming that her competitive career ended sometime in the intervening years without providing a precise date.[6]
Her seventh-place finish, alongside Sagi Muki's fifth-place result and the bronze medals won by Yarden Gerbi and Or Sasson, remained part of what Ynet described as Israel's best Olympic judo performance up to that time.[5]
Sources
- 1Maariv, accessed on September 24, 2026.
- 2Jewish Virtual Library, Jews in Sports: Israel at the 2016 Olympics, accessed on September 24, 2026.
- 3The Times of Israel, accessed on September 24, 2026.
- 4Ynet, History: 7 athletes on the judo squad for the Olympics, accessed on September 24, 2026.
- 5Ynet, This is what Israeli judo will look like at Tokyo 2020, accessed on September 24, 2026.
- 6ONE, The data shows: the women's judo team is progressing, accessed on September 24, 2026.
- 7ONE, Bolder won a gold medal, bronze for Gerbi and Muki, accessed on September 24, 2026.
- 8Ynet, Judo: Sagi Muki is European champion, Gerbi won bronze, accessed on September 24, 2026.
- 9Walla! Sport, Gerbi's new status, the Smadja scandal: World Championship summary, accessed on September 24, 2026.
- 10The Jerusalem Post, Olympic Preview: Sink-or-swim time for Toumarkin & Co, accessed on September 24, 2026.
- 11Ynetnews, One year to Rio: Does Israel stand a chance?, accessed on September 24, 2026.
IsraelPedia Question & Answers
Who is Linda Bolder?
Linda Bolder is a Dutch-born judoka, born July 3, 1988, who represented Israel in the women's under-70-kilogram category. She moved to Israel with her Jewish husband in 2014 and began competing for the country in 2015. Bolder reached the quarterfinals at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and finished seventh, contributing to what was described as Israel's strongest Olympic judo performance to that point.
What did Linda Bolder achieve before joining the Israeli national judo team?
Before representing Israel, Linda Bolder had already established herself internationally, earning a silver medal at the 2013 European Championships. Her pre-Rio record also included two Grand Slam medals and four Grand Prix medals.
What was Linda Bolder's result at the 2015 Grand Prix in Zagreb?
Linda Bolder claimed gold at the 2015 Grand Prix in Zagreb in the up-to-70-kilogram division. On her way to the final she defeated Britain's Megan Fletcher and Canada's Kelita Zupancic, then overcame Germany's Szaundra Diedrich in the semifinal, before defeating Britain's Sally Conway by ippon in just 1 minute and 11 seconds in the final.
How did Linda Bolder perform at the 2016 Rio Olympics?
Linda Bolder advanced to the quarterfinals of the women's under-70-kilogram judo division at the 2016 Rio Olympics before losing to Great Britain's Sally Conway. She then entered the repechage but was defeated by Spain's Bernabeu, ending her chance at a bronze-medal contest and leaving her with a seventh-place finish overall.
How did Linda Bolder's result at Rio fit into Israel's broader Olympic judo performance in 2016?
Bolder's seventh-place finish was part of what Ynet described as Israel's strongest collective Olympic judo performance to that point. It came alongside fellow Israeli judokas Yarden Gerbi and Or Sasson winning bronze medals and Sagi Muki finishing fifth.
Did Linda Bolder compete after the 2016 Rio Olympics?
After Rio, Ynet reported that Bolder was not expected to continue through another Olympic campaign and might retire. A 2020 retrospective confirmed that her competitive career had ended sometime in the years following Rio, though it did not provide a precise date for her retirement.