DID Press: Zakia Khudadadi, the Afghan-born para-taekwondo athlete who now competes for France, won the silver medal in the women’s under-47 kg category at the 2026 World Para Taekwondo Grand Prix in Levallois-Perret, near Paris.
According to the official results published by World Taekwondo, Khudadadi defeated Türkiye’s Busra Emire 2–1 in the quarter-finals before beating another Turkish competitor, Nurcihan Ekinci Gul, 2–0 in the semi-finals.
In the final, Khudadadi lost 2–0 to Mexico’s Claudia Romero, finishing second and securing the silver medal.
Khudadadi said she had competed with the aim of winning gold but was pleased to claim her first Grand Prix silver medal. She vowed to continue working towards gold at future competitions.
The athlete also won bronze at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. After leaving Afghanistan in 2022, she continued her sporting career in France and now represents the country in international competitions.
Her achievements come as women and girls in Afghanistan continue to face extensive restrictions under Taliban rule, including in sports.