Afghan para taekwondo athlete Zakia Khudadadi won a bronze medal at the 2026 World Para Taekwondo Grand Prix in Muju, South Korea, adding another international medal to her growing list of achievements.
The tournament, one of the major annual events in para taekwondo, was held on Friday, Sept. 4, in Muju, South Korea. Khudadadi, who lives and trains in France, competed in the women’s under-47-kilogram category.
She won her opening bout before losing to a Turkish opponent in the semifinals, securing third place and the bronze medal.
Khudadadi shared images from the competition on Instagram, announcing her latest achievement to her followers.
The medal adds to a series of recent successes for the Afghan athlete. Earlier this year, she won the European Para Taekwondo Championships for the second time, taking gold at the 2026 continental competition.
Last year, she won bronze at the Rio Open G2 2025 in Brazil.
Her career also includes a European championship gold medal, bronze at the 2022 World Grand Prix, silver at an international competition in Albania, and bronze at the 2016 Egyptian Para Taekwondo Championships.
Khudadadi became the first Afghan woman to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, where she received the International Paralympic Committee’s “Brave Woman” accolade.
Beyond sport, she has advocated for girls’ rights to education and sports in Afghanistan. In 2025, she received the Emerging Leadership Award as part of International Women’s Day recognition.
Her latest achievement comes as the Taliban have barred women from participating in sports and disbanded Afghanistan’s national women’s teams, leaving Khudadadi to pursue her career abroad.
