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{{short description|Indian-born Israeli Muay Thai kickboxer|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Infobox martial artist
| name = Sarah Avraham
| image =
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| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth based on age as of date|20|2014|3|25}}
| birth_place = [[Bombay]], India
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| other_names = שרה אברהם
| residence = [[Kiryat Arba]]
| nationality = Israeli
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| style = [[Muay Thai]] kickboxer
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| trainer = Eddie Yusopov
| rank = Women's World Thai-Boxing Champion; 57–63 kilos (125–140 pounds) weight class
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| occupation = Student
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'''Sarah Avraham''' ({{lang-he|שרה אברהם}}; born 1993/1994) is an Indian-born Israeli [[Muay Thai]] [[kickboxer]]. She converted to Judaism and moved to Israel after the [[2008 Mumbai attacks]].

Avraham was the 2012 Israeli women's champion in Thai boxing, in the {{convert|57|-|63|kg|lb}} weight class. She is also the 2014 [[World Muaythai Federation]] pro-am women's world champion in the 57–63.5 kg (125–140 lbs) class.<ref>{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeAIJq7Nlnc&feature=player_detailpage#t=15246 |title=WMF Championship 2014 – 23-03-2014 |date=March 23, 2014 |work=[[YouTube]] |publisher=Pattaya Boxing |accessdate=April 12, 2014|time=4h14m10s}}</ref><ref name="ynetnews1"/>

==Early life==

Avraham was born in [[Mumbai|Bombay]], India, to a [[Hinduism|Hindu]] father who is a physician, Dr. Aaron Avraham (formerly Hagirdas Pradesh) and a Christian mother who was a nurse.<ref name="timesofisrael1">{{cite news|author=Rebecca McKinsey|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/hindi-convert-to-judaism-israels-thai-boxing-queen/ |title=Ex-Hindu is Israel's Thai-boxing queen; New women's champion Sarah Avraham immigrated from Mumbai after 2008 Chabad House attack|work=The Times of Israel |date=September 23, 2012 |accessdate=April 9, 2014}}</ref><ref name="ibtimes"/><ref name="haaretz1">{{cite news|url=http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/magazine/.premium-1.533716 |author= Naomi Darom|title=Glove story: Two Orthodox girls' journey from religious school to boxing glory |work=Haaretz |accessdate=April 9, 2014}}</ref> Her family was close friends with [[Gavriel Holtzberg]] and his wife Rivka, who were killed in the November [[2008 Mumbai attacks]], by terrorists who attacked the [[Mumbai Chabad House]] where the couple served as emissaries.<ref name="timesofisrael1"/><ref name="ibtimes"/><ref name="haaretz1"/> Avraham was 14 years old at the time.<ref name="timesofisrael1"/>

==Immigration to Israel==
A year after the attack, she and her family [[Conversion to Judaism|converted]] and [[Aliyah|moved to Israel]].<ref name="timesofisrael1"/><ref name="ibtimes">{{cite news|author= Jack Moore|url=http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/israeli-hebron-settler-wins-womens-world-thai-boxing-title-1441723 |title=Israeli Hebron Settler Wins Women's World Thai Boxing Title |work=International Business Times |date=March 25, 2014 |accessdate=April 9, 2014}}</ref><ref name="jewishpress1">{{cite news|url=http://www.jewishpress.com/news/two-religious-girls-box-kick-their-way-to-world-champions-video/2013/05/13/ |author= Tzvi Ben-Gedalyahu|title=Two Religious Girls Box-Kick Their Way to World Champions (video) |work=The Jewish Press |date=May 13, 2013 |accessdate=April 9, 2014}}</ref> They settled in the [[West Bank]] [[Israeli settlement]] of [[Kiryat Arba]], south of Jerusalem, on the outskirts of [[Hebron]], where she now lives.<ref name="timesofisrael1"/><ref name="ibtimes"/><ref name="haaretz1"/>

She is now a religious [[Orthodox Jew]], and studies at an [[ulpana]] in Kiryat Arba.<ref name="ynetnews1">{{cite news|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4380452,00.html |author=Akiva Novick |title=Religious girls are Muay Thai champs; Two pious teenagers from Beit Shemesh, Kiryat Arba strike opponents mercilessly to win Thailand-style kickboxing world championship in Bangkok |publisher=Ynetnews.com |date=May 16, 2013 |accessdate=April 9, 2014}}</ref><ref name="timesofisrael1"/><ref name="haaretz1"/><ref name="shalomlife1">{{cite news |url=http://www.shalomlife.com/news/19926/two-religious-israeli-girls-win-gold-at-boxing-competition-in-thailand/ |author=Daniel Koren |title=Two Religious Israeli Girls Win Gold At Boxing Competition In Thailand |work=Shalom Life |date=July 19, 2013 |accessdate=April 9, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413132506/http://www.shalomlife.com/news/19926/two-religious-israeli-girls-win-gold-at-boxing-competition-in-thailand/ |archive-date=April 13, 2014 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://forward.com/articles/179954/-orthodox-women-aim-for-boxing-glory/ |author= Naomi Darom|title=2 Orthodox Women Aim for Boxing Glory |work=Forward |date=July 6, 2013 |accessdate=April 10, 2014}}</ref> Avraham also volunteers as a firefighter, and has taken part in scores of firefighting operations.<ref name="ibtimes"/>

Avraham is considering studying medicine,<ref name="timesofisrael1"/><ref name="ibtimes"/> or she may eventually become a full-time firewoman.<ref name="ibtimes"/>

==Thai boxing career==
While attending a Kiryat Arba school for religious girls, Avraham made the decision to participate in sports.<ref name="timesofisrael1"/> Michael Pollack, a [[fitness trainer]] from nearby Hebron's Jewish neighborhood, melded [[kickboxing]] into her sports training.<ref name="timesofisrael1"/> Pollack put [[Thai boxing]] coach Eddie Yusopov and Avraham in contact with each other, and Yusopov became her trainer.<ref name="timesofisrael1"/><ref name="haaretz1"/>

Avraham trains in Muay Thai boxing five times a week, at the boxing center at Jerusalem's [[Teddy Stadium]].<ref name="ynetnews1"/><ref name="ibtimes"/> As is the case with most Israeli athletes, she does not receive any funding. To pay for her training ([[Israeli new shekel|NIS]] 230 a month) and trips abroad for competitions, since she does not like to ask for money, she cleans houses and also works as a dog walker and waitress.<ref name="haaretz1"/> In addition, Avraham hitchhikes to her practices in Jerusalem, as she does not have money to take the bus.<ref name="haaretz1"/> Because she is religious, she brings [[kosher]] food with her when she travels to fights.<ref name="shalomlife1"/>

===2012 Israeli Champion===
In September 2012, Avraham won the Israeli national women’s Thai boxing championship in her weight class of 57–63 kilos (125–140 pounds), at the age of 18.<ref name="ynetnews1"/><ref name="timesofisrael1"/><ref name="ibtimes"/><ref name="haaretz1"/>

===2014 World Champion===
In early 2014, while still in high school Avraham won the Women's World Thai-Boxing Championship in [[Bangkok, Thailand]], in her 57–63 kilos (125–140 pounds) weight class.<ref name="ynetnews1"/><ref name="ibtimes"/><ref name="haaretz1"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:gmDzcFm8b80J:world.einnews.com/news/thailand-science-technology+&cd=39&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a |title=Girl Converted By Mumbai Martyrs Is World Muay Thai Champ |publisher=EIN News |date=April 3, 2014 |accessdate=April 10, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.juif.org/sport-israel/193212,une-convertie-par-les-martyrs-de-bombay-devient-championne-du-monde.php |title=Une convertie par les martyrs de Bombay devient championne du monde de boxe thaï |language=fr |publisher=Juif.org |date= March 27, 2014|accessdate=April 10, 2014}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of Jews in sports#Mixed martial arts|List of select Jewish mixed martial artists]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.timesofisrael.com/hindi-convert-to-judaism-israels-thai-boxing-queen/ "Ex-Hindu is Israel's Thai-boxing queen" (video)], ''Times of Israel'', September 23, 2012
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dQJwx9GAcM "Sara Avraham – כתבה בערוץ הראשון" (video; Hebrew and English)], May 2013

{{2008 Mumbai attacks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Avraham, Sarah}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian emigrants to Israel]]
[[Category:Indian Orthodox Jews]]
[[Category:Indian former Hindus]]
[[Category:Israeli female kickboxers]]
[[Category:Israeli Muay Thai practitioners]]
[[Category:Israeli Orthodox Jews]]
[[Category:Martial artists from Mumbai]]
[[Category:People from Kiryat Arba]]
[[Category:Jewish martial artists]]
[[Category:Converts to Orthodox Judaism]]
[[Category:Israeli people of Indian descent]]
[[Category:Female Muay Thai practitioners]]
[[Category:Sportswomen from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:People associated with the 2008 Mumbai attacks]]

Sarah Avraham - Revision history

Bot: robot: Create/update articles. If there is a mistake please report on my talk page.