JWR VerifiedJWR-2026-000180

First Jewish Woman to Win an Olympic Medal

Record holder

Hedwig RosenbaumPerson

Record value

Bronze — July 1900

Country represented: BohemiaAchievement date: July 1900Current record

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Verified by Jewish World RecordsHow we verify records

Historical portrait of Hedwig Rosenbaum, photographed circa 1914–1918.

Hedwig Rosenbaum, early Jewish Olympic tennis medalist at Paris 1900. Portrait from approximately 1914–1918.Wikimedia Commons — Hedwig Rosenbaumová (1864–1939), unknown photographerSourcePublic domain

Official record definition

The earliest Jewish woman to win an official Olympic medal in any sport.

Measurement methodology

Chronological comparison of recognized Olympic medal results with independent Jewish-identity evidence; earliest confirmed qualifying participation in 1900.

Record story

Hedwig Rosenbaum competed in tennis at the Paris 1900 Olympic Games and is credited in recognized Olympic records with two bronze medals, in women's singles and mixed doubles. Historical research, including material published by the Czech Olympic Committee, describes her as coming from a German-speaking Jewish family in Bohemia. These results occurred decades before the Amsterdam 1928 silver medal won by Fanny “Bobbie” Rosenfeld, previously recognized by Jewish World Records under this record ID. The difference is not a new athletic achievement or a recent record-breaking event: it is a correction based on earlier historical evidence. Jewish World Records preserves its former recognition of Rosenfeld in the independent revision ledger, with the sources, decision date and explanation visible to readers. The exact day on which Rosenbaum secured the first of her two bronze medals remains uncertain, so only the year 1900 is asserted.

How JWR verified this record

Verification date: 26 September 2026
Verification standard: JWR Verification Standard 1.0

Achievement evidence

Olympic history sources document two bronze medals awarded to Hedwig Rosenbaum in tennis at Paris 1900 (women's singles and mixed doubles). Precise medal award day is not established.

Superiority evidence

Hedwig Rosenbaum's Olympic medals at Paris 1900 precede Fanny Rosenfeld's silver medal at Amsterdam 1928; historically corrected after review of previously overlooked archival evidence.

Jewish Eligibility — Verified by JWR

Jewish eligibility verification

Evidence establishing that the holder qualifies as Jewish for JWR purposes.

Fanny Rosenfeld — International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame

Achievement / record verification

Evidence establishing that the holder achieved the result and holds the record as defined.

100 metres, Women — Amsterdam 1928 — Olympedia
Ethel Smith and Fanny Rosenfeld at the 1928 Olympics — Wikimedia Commons

Superiority / counter-candidate verification

Evidence comparing the result with other candidates relevant to the record claim.

Jewish Olympic Medalists — International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame

Jewish eligibility, achievement and superiority evidence retain their separate classifications and are never merged. Context and provenance are not presented as proof of the achievement. Restricted evidence and internal research notes are never published. Learn more about the seven-stage process on the verification page.

Sources & Verification

Hedwig Rosenbaum — Olympedia athlete profile
Primary sourceOlympedia
What this proves: Two bronze results in women singles and mixed doubles, 1900; birth and death details
100 metres, Women — Amsterdam 1928
Reference databaseOlympedia
What this proves: Confirms Rosenfeld won silver in the women’s 100 m, with the event concluding 31 July 1928.
Fanny Rosenfeld
Independent publicationInternational Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
What this proves: Identifies Rosenfeld as a Jewish Hall of Famer and documents her 1928 Olympic gold and silver medals.
Jewish Olympic Medalists
Reference databaseInternational Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
What this proves: Provides the Jewish Olympic medalist chronology used to identify the earliest women medalists.
Paris 1900: the Olympic Games nobody noticed
Primary sourceCzech Olympic Committee
What this proves: Jewish German-speaking family and two Olympic bronze results
Tennis at the 1900 Summer Olympics
Primary sourceOlympedia
What this proves: Tennis event window 6–11 July 1900; no exact first medal date
Ethel Smith and Fanny Rosenfeld at the 1928 Olympics
Reference databaseWikimedia Commons
What this proves: Provides the public-domain 1928 Olympic image and Library and Archives Canada provenance.
Mistaken Identities — Hedwig Rosenbaum, the First Olympic Medallist from Bohemia
Primary sourceJournal of Olympic History
What this proves: Historical identification and Jewish family origin

History

Verified26 September 2026
Verified according to JWR Verification Standard 1.0.
Published16 October 2026v1
Published to the official JWR registry.

Portrait of Olympic canoe champion Leonid Geyshtor.

JWR Verified

Sports · Olympic GamesFirst

First Jewish Olympic Champion in C-2 1,000 m Canoe

Record holder

Leonid Geyshtor (Geishtor)

Record value

Gold — 29 August 1960

Leonid Geyshtor of the Soviet Union became the first Jewish Olympic champion in the men’s C-2 1,000-metre canoe sprint at the Rome 1960 Olympic Games. Competing with Sergey Makarenko, he won the final on 29 August 1960 at Castel Gandolfo, Italy. The pair finished in 4:17.04, recorded by Olympedia as an Olympic best. JWR defines this record specifically for the C-2 1,000-metre event; it does not claim that Geyshtor was the first Jewish Olympic champion in canoeing overall. That distinction matters because canoeing contains multiple boat classes, crew sizes and distances with separate Olympic histories. Jewish sports sources identify Geyshtor as a Jewish Olympic gold medalist, while the event chronology confirms the Soviet pair as the 1960 champions. The measurable record value is therefore their C-2 1,000-metre gold on 29 August 1960.

Country represented: Soviet Union
Achievement location: Castel Gandolfo, Italy
Achievement date: 29 August 1960

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JWR Verified

Sports · Olympic GamesFirst

First Jewish Olympic Champion in Fencing

Record holder

Jenő Fuchs

Record value

Gold — men’s individual sabre, London 1908

Jenő Fuchs, a fencer representing Hungary, became the first Jewish Olympic champion in fencing at the 1908 London Games. He secured this distinction on 24 July 1908 after winning the men’s individual sabre competition. The official record is noted as 'Gold — men’s individual sabre, London 1908'. Fuchs's victory is confirmed by official Olympic results from the event.

Country represented: Hungary
Achievement location: London, United Kingdom
Achievement date: 24 July 1908

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Walentin Mankin with the Soviet Olympic sailing team in Riga in 1976.

JWR Verified

Sports · Olympic GamesFirst

First Jewish Olympic Champion in Sailing

Record holder

Walentin Mankin

Record value

Gold — 21 October 1968

Walentin Mankin of the Soviet Union is the First Jewish Olympic Champion in Sailing, an achievement secured on 21 October 1968. Representing his country, he won the Finn class at the Mexico City 1968 Olympic Games. The sailing events were held in Acapulco, where the seven-race competition concluded on this date, with Mankin confirmed as champion by official Olympic results.

Country represented: Soviet Union
Achievement location: Acapulco, Mexico
Achievement date: 21 October 1968

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First Jewish Woman to Win an Olympic Medal

Record holder

Record value

Official record definition

Measurement methodology

Record story

How JWR verified this record

Achievement evidence

Superiority evidence

Jewish eligibility verification

Achievement / record verification

Superiority / counter-candidate verification

Sources & Verification

History

Related records

First Jewish Olympic Champion in C-2 1,000 m Canoe

First Jewish Olympic Champion in Fencing

First Jewish Olympic Champion in Sailing