Nili Block

Nili Block
Born (1995-01-16) January 16, 1995
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Other names נילי בלאק
Residence Ramat Beit Shemesh in Beit Shemesh, Israel
Nationality Israeli
Style Muay Thai, Kickboxing
Teacher(s) Benny Cogan
Trainer Eddie Yusopov
Rank
  • 2015 WAKO Amateur Kickboxing World Champion
  • 2016 International Federation of Muaythai Amateur AmateurWorld Champion
  • 2017 Muay Thai Amateur World Champion (60kg division)
  • 2018 Muay Thai Amateur World Champion (60kg division)

Nili Block (Hebrew: נילי בלאק‎; born January 16, 1995) is an Israeli kickboxer and Muay Thai fighter.[1][2][3]

In 2015, she won a gold medal at the WAKO Amateur Kickboxing World Championships. In 2016, at 20 years of age, Block won the 17th International Federation of Muaythai Amateur World Championship. In 2017, she won gold medals at the Muay Thai World Championship in the 60 kg division and the Thai Boxing European Championships, and a bronze medal in Muay Thai at The World Games 2017. In 2018, she won gold medals at the Muay Thai World Championship in 60 kg division and the Thai Boxing European Championships.

Early life

Block was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States, one of six siblings.[4][2][5][3][6] She is Jewish, describing herself as a "traditional" Jew. [4][2][5][3] She keeps kosher, bringing kosher food with her when she travels to competitions, and observes shabbat.[6]

Her father is a dentist.[6] At the age of two, Block and her family made aliyah to Israel from Maryland.[2][7] They settled and now live in the religious neighborhood of Ramat Beit Shemesh in Beit Shemesh, Israel.[3][4][6] Her mother, Rina, became a volunteer officer in the Israeli Defense Forces Border Police, and makes a living as a biking instructor and by cleaning homes.[2][6][6]

Block played American Flag Football from age 11 and represented Israel in several international competitions as part of the Israeli Women's National Team.[3][8] She gave up the sport in 2012 in order to focus more fully on a single sport: Muay Thai.[9] In 2015, when Block was in 12th grade she beat hundreds of other girls in the 10K run of the 2013 Jerusalem Marathon.[10] She initially attended an ulpana, a high school for Orthodox girls.[6] To pay for her travel and training, she cleans homes, delivers newspapers, and, if necessary, asks her parents for money.[6]

Kickboxing and Muay Thai career

When she was 10 years old, her mother had Block learn kickboxing, so that she would know self-defense.[2][5] She trained at a kickboxing academy at Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem.[3] Her coach her entire career has been Benny Cogan, who is also Israel's national kickboxing and Muay Thai coach, and she is trained as well by Eddie Yusupov.[3][11][4][6]

Block is designated as an "outstanding athlete" by the Israel Defense Forces, which allows her to be in a special program that permits her to compete in international kickboxing competitions.[5]

In 2012 she became world champion in the flyweight class (50.5-53.5 kilos) at the 10th Amateur/Pro-Am Muay Thai Championships in Bangkok, Thailand.[6]

In May 2015, when she was in 12th grade, Block won a gold medal in her age category in the XIX KickBox World Cup in the 52- to 56-kilo category in Hungary.[10]

In October 2015, Block won a gold medal at the Kickboxing World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, in the 60 kg (132 pound) senior division.[2][5][7][12] She said: "It is such a good feeling [being a champion].... it’s so special to become a symbol in the world as a Jew and as an Israeli. They didn’t expect me to win, coming from such a small country. Who would have expected it?"[5] That year she was named Female Athlete of the Year by the Federation of Non-Olympic Competitive Sports in Israel (Ayelet).[5][7]

In 2016, at 20 years of age, she won the 17th International Federation of Muaythai Amateur (IFMA) World Championship for the first time, in the 60 kg division, in Jonkoping, Sweden.[5][13][14][11]

In 2017, Block won the gold medal at the Muay Thai World Championship in the 60 kg division.[2][14] She is the two-time defending European champion.[2] In October 2017, she won the gold medal at the Thai Boxing European Championships in the women’s 60 kg division in Paris, France.[15]

That year, in July she also won a bronze medal in Muay Thai at the 2017 World Games in Wroclaw, Poland, taking third in the women’s 60 kg Muay Thai event.[2][13][1]

Kickboxing record

Professional kickboxing record
DateResultOpponentEventLocationMethodRoundTimeRecord
September 9, 2018LossChina Cong WangKunlun Fight 76 - Legend of Mulan Tournament SemifinalZhangqiu, ChinaDecision33:00
September 9, 2018WinSweden Mingrui LiKunlun Fight 76 - Legend of Mulan Tournament QuarterfinalZhangqiu, ChinaKO1

References

  1. 1 2 "Muaythai - Nili Block (Israel)". the-sports.org.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Allon Sinai (December 22, 2017). "Sports Personality: Who was Israel's best of 2017". The Jerusalem Post.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Josh Hasten (January 7, 2016). "The 'uprising' of Nili Block, Israel's female kickboxing world champion". Jewish News Service.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Ben Ofer (January 2, 2016). "From religious school to world kickboxing champion". Ynetnews.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Nefesh B. Nefesh (December 19, 2017). "8 Days of olim shining their light on Israel: Nili Block". The Jerusalem Post.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Darom, Naomi (July 8, 2013). "Glove Story: Two Orthodox Girls' Journey From Religious School to Boxing Glory". Haaretz.
  7. 1 2 3 Alina Dain Sharon (March 8, 2016). "International Women's Day: This Year's Newsworthy Jewish Women". Algemeiner.
  8. ↑ "Nili Block, 20, brings Israel gold at Kickboxing World Championships in Belgrade". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 2018-09-25.
  9. ↑ "Two religious women take world Thai boxing titles". Israel21c. Retrieved 2018-09-25.
  10. 1 2 Abigail Klein Leichman (July 17, 2013). "Two religious women take world Thai boxing titles". Israel21c.
  11. 1 2 Viva Sarah Press (May 29, 2016). "Israeli fighter wins Muaythai World Championship". Israel21c.
  12. ↑ Daniel Koren (November 4, 2015). "20-year-old Israeli wins world kickboxing championship". The Canadian Jewish News.
  13. 1 2 Allon Sinai (July 31, 2017). "Israeli Block grabs muaythai bronze". The Jerusalem Post.
  14. 1 2 Allon Sinai (July 30, 2017). "Medals piling up for blue-and-white". The Jerusalem Post.
  15. ↑ "Israeli Nili Block Wins Thai Boxing Title at European Championships in Paris". Algemeiner. October 22, 2017.
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