TEHRAN – Iranian taekwondo athlete Arian Salimi has won a bronze medal in the second stage of the 2026 Grand Prix in South Korea.
In the +80 kg competition, Arian Salimi lost to Vladislav Larin, the Tokyo Olympic champion from Russia, in the semifinals with a score of 2-0 and won the bronze medal.
He had defeated Ivan Shapina, the world silver and bronze medalist from Croatia, in the first round with a score of 2-1, and then defeated Carlos Sansouras, the world gold and two silver medalists from Mexico, with a score of 2-0.
Salimi faced Muhammad Hussein Yazdani, another Iranian athlete in this weight class, in the quarterfinals and won with a score of 2-0. 
Host nation Korea closed the Muju Taekwondowon 2026 World Taekwondo Grand Prix with two victories on the final day and three titles overall, while Egypt’s Seif Eissa defeated Olympic champion Vladislav Larin to capture the first Grand Prix gold of his career.
The Muju Taekwondowon 2026 World Taekwondo Grand Prix concluded on September 7 after three days of elite competition at one of the sport’s most iconic venues.