Paris Paralympics: Zakia Khudadadi dedicates first refugee medal to ‘women of Afghanistan’
Zakia Khudadadi, competing in her second Games, also dedicated her bronze to ‘all the refugees of the world’
Afghan Zakia Khudadadi completed a remarkable journey to become the first athlete from the refugee team to win a medal at the Paralympics when she clinched a taekwondo bronze on Thursday.
Khudadadi, who made her Paralympics debut in Tokyo days after being exfiltrated from Taliban-controlled Kabul, secured her place on the podium when her opponent withdrew before their bronze medal bout in the K44-47kg category.
“It was a surreal moment, my heart started racing when I realised I had won the bronze,” Khudadadi said. “I went through so much to get here.
“This medal is for all the women of Afghanistan and all the refugees of the world. I hope that one day there will be peace in my country.
“This medal means everything to me, I will never forget this day. I won because of the great support I got from the crowd.”
The 25-year-old, who was granted asylum by France, was cheered on like a local throughout the day by the Grand Palais crowd and her French coach, Haby Niare, who took a taekwondo silver medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016.