New star alert: Xinran Hui tops U48kg ranking

Chinese judoka Xinran Hui is quickly becoming one of the most exciting new names on the IJF World Tour. On 7 April 2026, the 22-year-old reached the top of the U48kg World Ranking, becoming the first Chinese judoka to lead the ranking since 2016 and the first Chinese lightweight ever to achieve this milestone.

Hui’s rise has been remarkably fast. Still relatively new to the senior circuit, she announced herself by winning the 2024 Junior World Championships in Dushanbe, becoming China’s first junior world champion since Qian Qin in 2006. Since then, her transition to senior level has been impressive.

Xinran is really good at newaza. At the 2026 Asian Judo Championships, you see her go from an attempt at a Shiba Lock to Juji-Gatame to eventually a Mune-Gatame hold-down. This is seamless, free-flowing newaza, a severe weapon.

In 2025 she captured gold at the Grand Slam in Astana and added silver in Abu Dhabi, proving she could compete with the world’s best. In 2026 she confirmed her progress with bronze in Paris and a superb gold medal at the Tashkent Grand Slam, results that pushed her to the top of the rankings.

Hui has already built a strong record against key rivals. She holds perfect 3-0 head-to-head records against Laziza Haydarova and Sabina Giliazova and leads Narantsetseg Ganbaatar 2-1. One of her learning moments this season came against former world number one Shirine Boukli, who defeated her in Paris, showing there is still room to grow.

China has a proud judo history but has been searching for a new lightweight star since Li Zhongyun’s Olympic success in 1988, when women’s judo was still a demonstration event. With her speed, sharp timing and rapid development, Xinran Hui could be the athlete to change that story.

With Los Angeles 2028 on the horizon, China may already have found its next Olympic lightweight contender.

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