A medal after the repechage
Khudadadi lost her quarter-final before beating Türkiye’s Nurcihan Ekinci 9–1 in the repechage. She secured bronze after her next opponent withdrew. Coach Haby Niare, an Olympic silver medallist, joined her celebrations. Khudadadi acknowledged the support of her coach, the refugee team and France in helping her train professionally. [1]
Speaking for women and refugees
UNHCR described Khudadadi as an advocate for women’s rights. She had fled Afghanistan shortly before the Tokyo Games in 2021 and subsequently settled in France. In Paris, she spoke about encouraging girls and women to participate in sport. She competed under the Paralympic flag used by the refugee team.
Two medals for the team
A joint UNHCR and IPC account on 7 September reported that eight refugee athletes and a guide runner had competed in six sports. Guillaume Junior Atangana also won bronze, in the men’s T11 400 metres. The team combined sporting opportunities with international visibility for people displaced by conflict and persecution.