TEHRAN - The Iranian women’s national taekwondo team concluded its campaign at the Korea Open with a total of five medals, securing one gold, one silver, and three bronze medals across multiple weight categories.
Hana Zarrinkamar delivered the standout performance for Iran in the +73kg division, capturing the team’s sole gold medal. After receiving a first-round bye, Zarrinkamar defeated an opponent from Chinese Taipei and subsequently overcame a South Korean competitor in straight rounds in the semifinals. She secured the title with a 2-1 victory over her Chinese opponent in the final match. In the same weight class, Iran’s Fatemeh Ahmadi was eliminated in the second round by a South Korean athlete following an initial victory over an Uzbek opponent.
In the -57kg category, Olympic medalist Nahid Kiyani earned a silver medal after advancing to the final with victories over athletes from India, Australia, Uzbekistan, and China. Kiyani finished second after dropping two consecutive rounds to her Moroccan rival in the final bout. Iran’s second representative in this category, Hasti Mohammadi, defeated an American athlete in her opening bout before being eliminated by a Moroccan competitor.
The Iranian squad earned its three bronze medals in the -46kg, -67kg, and -73kg divisions. Saina Karimi (-46kg) reached the semifinals with victories over athletes from Great Britain, Russia, and China before taking bronze following a semifinal loss to a Chinese competitor. In the -67kg division, Saghar Moradi secured bronze after defeating opponents from South Korea, the United States, and China, eventually falling 2-1 to a South Korean fighter in the semifinals, while teammate Fereshteh Fathi was eliminated in the second round. In the -73kg division, Baran Nemati claimed the final bronze medal after defeating a representative from Chinese Taipei and subsequently losing her semifinal bout to a Chinese opponent.
In the -52kg division, Roujan Goudarzi was eliminated in the second round following an initial win over an Australian athlete.