The young woman who beat the boys in crawling - and became a combat fitness star

Ayelet Shahar, 17, went viral after a video of her overtaking boys in a combat fitness training session spread across the internet. She discusses the integration of women in the military, her goal of joining the Oketz unit, and how women can bring 'color and flavor' to the army. The article presents her personal story alongside opinions of opponents to integrating women in combat roles.

Ayelet Shahar, 17, became an internet star after a video of her in a combat fitness training session, where she overtakes teenagers with determined crawling, went viral within hours. The article, published on N12, describes her personal story as a symbol of women's capabilities in the military. Shahar, who trains at Insane Combat Fitness under the guidance of Ron Atias, declares that 'women can do everything' and sets a goal to enlist in the Oketz unit as an officer. Alongside her words, the article presents opposing views on integrating women in the military, including statements by Yinon Magal who spoke out against drafting women and claimed the army is a 'male event', and remarks by Yehonatan Yifrach who argued that integrating women harms combat effectiveness. Shahar responds to critics, saying that women bring emotional intelligence and can add 'color and interest' to the system. The article notes that about a fifth of fighters in the IDF and Border Police are women, a figure that has risen since October 7.

The young woman who beat the boys in crawling - and became a combat fitness star