Shani Bakanov

Shani Bakanov was born in 2006 in Haifa

Bakanov was born in Haifa on 27 February 2006 to parents who immigrated to Israel from Belarus. She grew up in the Neve David neighborhood of Haifa, where she lives with her mother and sister.

She started rhythmic gymnastics as a young child and later joined the Maccabi Haifa Carmel club. As a junior in 2021, she won 2 bronze medals with the Israeli group at the European Championships in Varna.

In 2022 she joined Israel's new senior national group, coached by Ayelet Zussman. That year the group won the group all-around at the European Championships in Tel Aviv and took silver in the same event at the World Championships in Sofia, which secured a place at the Paris Olympics.

At the 2023 World Championships in Valencia, the group won gold in the all-around and in the ribbons and balls routine. It was Israel's first gold medal at the rhythmic gymnastics world championships. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the group won silver in the all-around, Israel's first Olympic medal in the group event.