Shani Bakanov

Shani Bakanov (Hebrew: שני בקנוב; born 27 February 2006) is an Israeli world champion rhythmic gymnast. She won the gold medal in the group All-Around at the 2022 European Championship, and silver in the same category at the 2022 World Championships. She won two gold medals at the 2023 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships. She will represent Israel at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris in the Women's rhythmic team all-around on August 9-10, 2024.

Early and personal life
Bakanov was born in Haifa, Israel, and is Jewish. Her parents immigrated to Israel from Belarus. She is a student at Leo Baeck High School in Haifa. She lives in the Neve David neighborhood in Haifa, with her mother, who works as a cleaner, and her sister in a small 33 square meter (355 square foot) apartment. She speaks Hebrew and English.

Rhythmic gymnastics career
Bakanov began the sport at age four at the Maccabi Haifa Carmel club in Israel, and Maccabi Haifa remains her club. Her coach is Ayelet Zussman. She trains at the Wingate Institute 11 hours a day, six days a week, taking one day a week off to study. She speaks Hebrew and English.

Junior; European Championship bronze medals
In 2021 Shani was part of the junior group along with Eliza Banchuk, Alona Hillel, Emili Malka. and Simona Rudnik, that won bronze medals in the All-Around and with 5 ribbons at the European Championships in Varna, Bulgaria.

2022; European champion
In 2022 she was named part of Israel's new national group. They debuted at the World Cup in Athens, winning gold medals in 5 hoops and 3 ribbons + 2 balls. Then Baku, where they got bronze in the All-Around and 5 hoops. Pamplona (All-Around silver medal), Portimão (All-Around gold) and Cluj-Napoca (All-Around and 5 hoops silver).

In June she competed in the European Championships in Tel Aviv, where the group won the All-Around and got silver with 5 hoops as well as the bronze medal in the senior team category along with teammates Adar Friedmann, Amit Hedvat, Romi Paritzki, Ofir Shaham, Diana Svertsov, and the individuals Daria Atamanov and Adi Asya Katz.

In September, she competed in the World Championships in Sofia along Adar Friedmann, Romi Paritzki, Ofir Shaham, and Diana Svertsov, winning two silver medals in the All-Around and the 5 hoops' final. Despite being among the favourites for a team medal, Israel couldn't take part in the competition because Atamanov broke her foot the day before the competition started and, as replacements had to be announced at least 24 hours before competition, leaving the country with only Katz as individual.

2023; World champion
In 2023 at the first World Cup of the season in Athens the group won gold in the All-Around and with 5 hoops as well as silver with 3 ribbons + 2 balls. In Sofia they won silver in the All-Around and with 5 hoops.

In May 2023 at the 2023 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, she won a gold medal in Group Hoop, silver medals in Group and Group Ball, Ribbon, and a bronze medal in Team.

In August 2023 at the 2023 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Valencia, Spain, she won gold medals in Group and Group Ball, Ribbon. She said: "I probably cried the most out of all of them, when we stood on top of the podium. We are world champions, it's unbelievable."

2024–present
In May 2024 at the 2024 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships in Budapest, Hungary, she won a silver medal in Group Ball, Ribbon, and a bronze medal in Group Hoop. That same month, at the 2024 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Cup, she won gold medals in All-Around and 5 Hoops.

She will represent Israel at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris in the Women's rhythmic team all-around on August 9-10, 2024.