Paris Olympics: Iran’s taekwondo 'stars' bring laurels to country with four medals

By Alireza Akbari

Iran was represented by 40 athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympics, including four taekwondo athletes. All four of them – two men and two women – bagged medals in their respective weight categories.

Taekwondo, apart from wrestling and weightlifting, was seen as a bright medal prospect for the Iranian contingent at the marquee sports event, especially after the lackluster show in the first week.

While wrestlers continued to shine with their superlative performances against the most formidable opponents, the spotlight was on the young taekwondo squad that brought laurels to the country.

The young Iranian taekwondo athletes overcame all odds to clinch 4 of the 12 medals for their country, writing a new chapter in the history of Iranian sports, particularly taekwondo.  

The buzz in the streets of Iran and beyond isn’t just about medals Iranian athletes bagged at the Paris Olympics – most by a West Asian country – but about the emergence of taekwondo athletes as new national heroes and sources of inspiration.

Their faces adorned billboards across the country before the competition started. Now they have carved a place in the hearts of more than 80 million people in the country.

The first to grab attention was 19-year-old taekwondo prodigy, Mobina Nematzadeh, who was making her Olympic debut in the 49kg category.

Nematzadeh’s first opponent was a seasoned fighter from Lesotho with two African bronze medals to her name. With remarkable composure and skill, the young Iranian athlete dominated the match, winning both rounds decisively with scores of 3-0 and 2-0.

Her next opponent was Spain's Adriana Cerezo, who was no match to the teenage sensation.

Nematzadeh's journey to the gold medal match was halted, however, by China's Guo Qing, forcing her into a battle for the bronze against Saudi Arabia's Dunya Abutaleb.

She rose to the occasion and clinched the bronze, securing Iran’s only second medal at the Paris Games at that time and registering her name in the annals of Iran’s sports history.

Nematzadeh’s triumph was a landmark moment, not just for her but for Iran’s taekwondo team, earning them their first medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Next was Nahid Kiani, Iran’s taekwondo star who was raring to go and prove her detractors wrong.

Competing in the 67kg weight class, Kiani's journey into history books and first silver medal in female taekwondo was marked by a series of intense battles.

She kicked off her Paris Olympics campaign with a dramatic last-second victory over Kimia Alizadeh, a former Iranian taekwondo athlete who now represents Bulgaria in international tournaments.  

Kiani then prevailed over Tunisia's Chaima Toumi in the quarterfinals and dominated Lebanon's Laetitia Aoun 2-0 in the semifinals to book her spot in the gold medal match.  

Although she fell short against South Korea's Kim Yujin in the summit clash, Kiani's silver medal was a historic achievement, marking Iran's sixth medal at the Paris Olympics and the second in taekwondo.

Kiani's remarkable performance earned her praise, including a congratulatory message from the Iranian president, who lauded her "commendable efforts" and celebrated her historic accomplishment.

The spectacular show by Iran’s taekwondo athletes continued as Mehran Barkhordari made a remarkable run in the -80kg weight category, breezing past his opponents.

In the opening round, Barkhordari faced a tough challenge from Uzbekistan's Jasurbek Jaysunov and emerged victorious in a nail-biting finish.

He maintained the momentum and prevailed over Italy's Simone Aliso, a two-time world champion, in a thrilling quarterfinal. Barkhordari triumphed 2-1, showcasing his resilience and skill.

In the semis, Barkhordari faced South Korea's Seo Geon-woo. Once again, the young Iranian star trounced his opponent, winning 2-1 and securing his place in the gold medal match.

In the final, Barkhordari took on Tunisia's Firas Katoussi. Despite his valiant effort, he fell short and settled for the silver medal, the third taekwondo medal at the Paris Olympics.

Barkhordari's performance further solidified Iran's strong presence in the taekwondo arena, as the team continued to chase Olympic glory.

At just 20 years, Arian Salimi stepped onto the Olympic stage as a relatively unknown name. Competing in the +80 kg category, he quickly made his mark with a performance that left fans and critics in awe.

In a thrilling opening match, Salimi faced Croatia's Ivan Šapina, a seasoned competitor with two World Taekwondo Championship medals and European Championship gold under his belt.

After losing the first round, Salimi staged a remarkable comeback, using his height and acrobatic skills to good effect to take the next two rounds and secure the victory.

In the quarterfinals, he defeated Mexico's Carlos Sansores in straight rounds to advance to the semifinals.

In the gold medal match, Salimi once again demonstrated his exemplary resilience, coming from behind to defeat Great Britain's Caden Cunningham 2-1 and clinch Iran's third gold medal at the Paris Olympics.

It was the country’s 10^th medal at the Paris Games and the first taekwondo gold in 16 years, since Hadi Saei's triumph at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Salimi's victory not only ended Iran's gold medal drought in taekwondo after 16 years but also set a new benchmark for the country's performance in the sport, making it the best showing since the 2004 Athens Olympics, when Iran won both gold and silver in taekwondo.

Following the brilliant performance of taekwondo athletes in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Behzad Khodadad, the 2001 world taekwondo champion, told the Press TV website that the key to the success of Iran’s taekwondo delegation at the Paris 2024 Olympics was “consensus and unity.”

The legendary Iranian taekwondo star termed the achievements of Iranian taekwondo athletes as “excellent,” noting that even the most optimistic forecasts could not have anticipated it.

Iran’s national taekwondo coach, Majid Aflaki, also spoke to the Press TV website, acknowledging the hard work put in by the young taekwondo team.

“Soon and in the near future, we will see many more stars bringing laurels to the Islamic Republic of Iran worldwide,” he said, just after the team pocketed the fourth Paris Olympics medal.

Highlighting the strength of the domestic scene, Aflaki noted that Iran boasts “the biggest and most active taekwondo league,” affirming that new talents are set to emerge.

Aflaki emphasized the “potential” of Iranian athletes in taekwondo, asserting that the Iranian team achieved the anticipated results.

Iran sent a formidable squad of 40 athletes, including 29 men and 11 women, to the prestigious sporting event in Paris, which kicked off on July 26 and wrapped up on August 11.

They competed across 13 different sports, aiming to leave a mark on the international stage.

Looking back at Iran’s storied history in taekwondo, Hadi Saei’s performance at the Athens 2004 Olympics stands out, where he claimed his first career gold while Yousef Karami secured a bronze.

Saei further cemented his legacy by adding another gold to his enviable Olympic record at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, adding that to a bronze at the Sydney 2000 Games.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk