Despite severe injuries, Alizadeh proved capability and determination of an Iranian girl and brought great honor to the nation, the VP stated.

Alizadeh won a gold medal at the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games and won two bronze medals at the 2015 World Taekwondo Championships in Chelyabinsk, Russia and 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro respectively.

After the Olympics, she underwent left ankle and knee surgery that forced her to sit out for eight months.

Alizadeh’s silver medal is the first medal won by Iranian female taekwondo practitioners in the world championships. 

The 23rd edition of the world taekwondo championships opened in Muju, South Korea, on June 24 and ran through June 30. A total of 973 athletes from 183 countries took part in the international tournament.

The Iranian women’s team finished 11th. 

NM/MG