Kimia Alizadeh

Kimia Alizadeh, born on July tenth, nineteen ninety-eight, is a remarkable taekwondo athlete who has made significant strides in the sport, representing Bulgaria. She gained international recognition when she won a bronze medal in the fifty-seven kilogram weight class at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, defeating Swedish competitor Nikita Glasnović. This achievement marked her as the first Iranian woman to earn a medal at a Summer Olympics.

Her journey in taekwondo began to flourish when she clinched a gold medal in the women's sixty-two kilogram class at the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games. Alizadeh's prowess was further demonstrated when she secured a bronze medal at the 2015 World Championship, notably defeating Jade Jones, the gold medallist from both the London 2012 and Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics. She continued to excel, earning a silver medal at the 2017 World Taekwondo Championships.

In January twenty twenty, Alizadeh made a pivotal decision to leave Iran permanently for Europe, citing her experiences as one of the many oppressed women in her home country. She expressed her intention not to compete for Iran in the twenty twenty Summer Olympics, instead aiming to represent Germany. Ultimately, she was licensed to compete in the Tokyo Olympics, where she represented the Refugee Olympic Team and won a bronze medal at the 2022 European Taekwondo Championships.

In twenty twenty-four, Alizadeh received her Bulgarian citizenship, which paved the way for her to win gold at the European Taekwondo Championships. She proudly represented Bulgaria at the twenty twenty-four Summer Olympics, where she once again showcased her talent by winning a bronze medal.