Nili Block

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States, Nili is one of six siblings [10][2][6][3][4] to a dentist father and homemaker mother. Nili describes herself as a "traditional" or "observant" Jew [10][2][6][3] who keeps kosher and the Jewish Sabbath. Bringing kosher food with her when she travels to competitions. observing the Jewish shabbat [4] from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown, as well as other traditional restrictions on time and practice pose a special challenge which makes her achievements all the more remarkable.

At the age of two, Nili and her family made aliyah to Israel from Maryland.[2][11] They settled and now live in the religious neighborhood of Ramat Beit Shemesh in Beit Shemesh, Israel.[3][10][4]

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][4]

At age 11, Nili began representing Israel in international competitions as a member of the Israeli Women's American Flag Football National Team.[3][12] She gave up the sport in 2012 in order to focus more fully on a single sport: Muay Thai.[13]

In 2015, in 12th grade, as a student at an ulpana, a high school for Orthodox girls,[4] Nili beat hundreds of other girls in the 10K run of the 2013 Jerusalem Marathon.[5]

As her sports are not supported by Olympic-style budgets, Nili cleans homes and delivers newspapers to pay for her travel and training, [4]

When she was 10 years old, Nili's mother suggested she learn kickboxing, as a manner of self-defense.[2][6] 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][9][10][4]

Nili 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.[6]

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.[4]

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.[5]

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][6][11][14] 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?"[6] That year she was named Female Athlete of the Year by the Federation of Non-Olympic Competitive Sports in Israel (Ayelet).[6][11]

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.[6][7][8][9]

In 2017, Nili won the gold medal at the Muay Thai World Championship in the 60 kg division.[2][8]

She is also 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][7][1]

• List of select Jewish mixed martial artists