Iran’s Kiani claims historic women’s gold at World Taekwondo Championships
Iran’s Nahid Kiani made history on Sunday by clinching a maiden women’s gold for the country at the World Taekwondo Championships.
On the final day of the event in Baku, Azerbaijan, Kiani came out on top against China’s Ju Zuo – also a world silver winner last year – in straight rounds (14-0, 11-7) to walk away with the ultimate prize of the -53kg weight class, rounding off a dominant campaign in her fourth appearance at the World Championships while making up for her last-16 setback against the Chinese in the previous edition in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Egyptian Shahd El-Hosseiny and Russian-born Tatiana Minina – competing as a neutral athlete – shared the third podium.
“The tournament was surely a top-notch event and thank God I came here in my best form and won all my five bouts. It just feels great [to win a first world women’s gold for Iran,]” said the 24-year-old, who is also a reigning Asian champion.
“The medal was big step toward securing a quota for next year’s Olympics, though my ultimate gold will be to finish on the podium in the Games and I’ll put in all my efforts to succeed in Paris,” added the Iranian.
“There is no easy fight at the World Championships and Kiani had to face tough opponents right from the off. She was in top physical and technical form and the precious gold was nothing more than she deserved,” Iran coach Minoo Maddah said.
Kiani kicked off her campaign with a 2-0 (12-0, 15-14) victory over South Korean In Su-wan, before a thrilling last-16 bout saw the Iranian bounce back from a 9-5 defeat in the first round to beat Hungary’s Luca Patakfalvy 11-3 and 8-6.
Kiani came out victorious (14-13, 19-6) against Croatian Nika Karabatić and then a 2-1 (5-4, 14-6, 10-6) triumph over Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Minina sealed a place in the final showdown for the former world junior bronze medalist, who also has a 2018 Asian Games bronze as well as a silver at the Asian Championships under her belt.
Despite Kiani’s historic feat and a first-ever top-five finish in the women’s team table for Iran, the event in Baku was one to forget for the country – two-time men’s champion in 2011 and 2015 – which managed to collect only three medals across 15 classes in the men’s and women’s draws.
Matin Rezaei fell to a semifinal defeat against British Bradly Sinden and settled for a joint-bronze alongside Uzbekistan’s Ulugbek Rashitov in the men’s -68kg class.
Aryan Salimi bagged a second bronze for Iran in the men’s competitions, sharing the third podium with Artsiom Plonis of the Individual Neutral Athletes team in the -87kg contests – after a last-four loss to South Korea’s Kang Sang-hyun, who went on to beat Ivan Sapina of Croatia for the gold.
South Korea dominated the men’s table with 448 points courtesy of three golds and a silver – a record-extending 26th men’s crown for the taekwondo powerhouse since the World Championships were introduced in 1973 – with Croatia (217pts) and Turkey (188pts) in the following spots.
Turkey won the women’s title with 288 points, followed by France, Croatia, Hungary, and Iran.