Raheleh Asemani

Raheleh Asemani (Persian: راحله آسمانی, born 21 June 1989) is an Iranian-born taekwondo practitioner who competes internationally for Belgium. She participated at the 2016 Summer Olympics. She has a history of participating in the Asian games.

Raheleh Asemani
Personal information
Born21 June 1989 (1989-06-21) (age 34)
Karaj, Iran
Medal record
Women's taekwondo
Representing Iran
Asian Games
Silver medal – second place 2010 Guangzhou62 kg
Representing Belgium
European Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2021 Sofia57 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Montreux57 kg

Personal life

Asemani was born on 21 June 1989 in Karaj, Iran.[1][2] Asemani left Iran as a refugee in 2012 and settled in Belgium where she works for the postal service.[3] In April 2016 she was granted Belgian citizenship.[4]

Taekwondo

Representing Iran she won a silver medal at the 2010 Asian Games in the women's 62 kg division after losing to Noh Eun-sil in the final.[4][5]

As she had not yet gained Belgian citizenship Asemani was suggested as a potential competitor for the team of Refugee Olympic Athletes for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[3] She was allowed to compete at the 2016 European Taekwondo Olympic Qualification Tournament held in Istanbul, Turkey, under the flag of the governing body, the World Taekwondo Federation, as an independent athlete.[1] Competing in the women's −57 kg weight division she advanced to the final of the tournament where she faced Suvi Mikkonen of Finland.[2] Asemani won the bout 7–4 to earn her qualification for the event in Rio as a refugee competitor.[2][6] After she was granted Belgian citizenship she applied to compete instead for the Belgian team, with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach saying that such permission would be granted.[4] As such she was not named as part of the ten athlete squad for the refugee team.[7]

At the 2016 European Taekwondo Championships held in Montreux, Switzerland, Asemani represented Belgium and won a bronze medal behind Great Britain's Jade Jones and Sweden's Nikita Glasnovic.[8] During the tournament both Asemani and Jones, along with British-born Moldovan Aaron Cook, were named by the World Taekwondo Federation as the sport's first three humanitarian ambassadors.[9]

She competed in the women's featherweight event at the 2022 World Taekwondo Championships held in Guadalajara, Mexico.

References
  1. "Taekwondo Independent Olympic Athlete IOA Raheleh Asemani". NBC Olympics. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  2. "Raheleh Asemani Raises a Limitless Flag, "If this was a Movie, Nobody would Believe It!"". World Taekwondo Federation. 12 February 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  3. "Refugee team forming for Rio 2016 Olympics: 'We want to send a message of hope'". The National (UAE). Associated Press. 20 March 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  4. "Former refugee Raheleh Asemani earns Belgian citizenship, seeks IOC approval". NBC Olympics. Associated Press. 28 April 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  5. "South Korean Noh Eun Sil wins women's 62kg taekwondo Asiad gold". Xinhua News Agency. 19 November 2011. Archived from the original on December 31, 2013. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  6. Palmer, Dan (17 January 2016). "Refugee athlete Asemani earns Rio 2016 berth at European taekwondo qualifier". insidethegames.biz. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  7. "Refugee Olympic Team to Shine Spotlight On Worldwide Refugee Crisis". International Olympic Committee. 3 June 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  8. Butler, Nick (20 May 2016). "Olympic champions on top as Jones and Tazegül claim European Taekwondo Championship titles". insidethegames.biz. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  9. "Jones Honoured by Humanitarian Rrole". GB Taekwondo. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
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