Medaillenspiegel Paralympics: Historic Win by Zakia Khudadadi

Historic Achievement at the Medaillenspiegel Paralympics

Zakia Khudadadi made history on Thursday by becoming the first athlete from the Refugee Paralympic Team to secure a medal at the Paralympics. Khudadadi, hailing from Afghanistan and now training in France, clinched bronze in the women’s taekwondo K44 -47kg category in Paris.

This medal is fantastic for me, but also for all the women in Afghanistan and all the refugees, she expressed to reporters. Khudadadi had lost to Uzbekistan's Ziyodakhon Isakova but bounced back by beating Turkey's Nurcihan Ekinci, securing her spot for the bronze after Morocco's Naoual Laarif withdrew from competition.

Overcoming Challenges to Achieve Medaillenspiegel Paralympics Glory

At 25, Khudadadi made her Paralympic debut in Tokyo three years ago, escaping Kabul amidst the Taliban’s rise. Forced into hiding, she continued her training in secrecy. A viral video plea later facilitated her escape, allowing her to pursue her dreams. “If I stayed, the Taliban would come and take me because I was a female athlete disobeying their rules,” she recalled ahead of the Paris Games.

Born without a forearm, Khudadadi started in Para sports at nine, eventually becoming the first Afghan woman to compete in taekwondo at the Paralympics. Inheriting the role of a beacon of hope for millions of displaced individuals, Khudadadi aims to inspire Afghan women, sharing, “I hope that one day there will be freedom in my country.”