- Hadi Saei
Hadi Saei Bonehkohal (PerB|هادی ساعی بنه كُهل , born
June 10 ,1976 in Ray) is anIran ianTaekwondo athlete who became the most successful iranian athlete in Olympic history after snatching gold in the2008 Summer Olympics . He competed in the Men's 68 kg (featherweight) at the2004 Summer Olympics and won the gold medal. In addition, He competed in the Men's 80 kg at the2008 Summer Olympics [http://www.taekwondoiranfed.com/english/index.asp] and won his second olympic gold. In the2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney he won bronze.Career
He has been practicing Tae Kwon Do since he was six years old. Having previously competed in Lightweight (67-72 kg), he is the 1999 World Champion and 2003 World Championship silver medallist. When Iranian town of
Bam, Iran was devastated in the 2003 earthquake, Saei put his medals on auction to raise money for the victims.He has been World Champion in the Tae Kwon Do World Championships 7 times and was recently awarded the title of 'Best Tae Kwon Do Player of all Time' by the International Board.Currently, he is a senior at the Iran Physical Education University.
He has suffered great personal tragedy, having lost his brother and father in the same year, and the death of his younger brother, who succumbed to cancer the following year.
2008 Olympics
In the
2008 Beijing Summer Olympics , Saei's gold medal was really important for all Iranian athletes who participated in this year's Olympic games. Saei was the last Iranian athlete to compete. Iran's hope to avoid its worst Olympics showings was resting on Saei's shoulders.In the first match against the
Nepal eseDeepak Bista his right hand was fractured during the fight however he did not indicate about his injury in the entire competiton despite enormous pain until he won the final against the ItalianMauro Sarmiento . Immediately after winning the Gold medal his hand was in plaster cast. Previously he wanted to say farewell after winning in the final, but his coachReza Mehmandoust has advised him not to do it.By winning his gold medal, Saei ensured that Iran was leaving Beijing with a better result than their poor showing at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, where they bagged only one bronze medal. Full results of Iran's medals in the history of the Summer Olympic games can be found in the 'Medal tables' in
Iran at the Olympics .Titles
*1995 World Military Taekwondo Championships SILVER
*1996 World Military Taekwondo Championships BRONZE
*1998 World Taekwondo Cup GOLD
*1999 World Taekwondo Championships GOLD
*2000 World Taekwondo Cup GOLD
*2000 Sydney Olympic Games BRONZE
*2001 World Taekwondo Cup GOLD
*2002 Asian Taekwondo Championships SILVER
*2002 World Taekwondo Cup GOLD
*2002 Busan Asian Games GOLD
*2003 World Taekwondo Championships SILVER
*2004 Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament GOLD
*2004 Athens Olympic Games GOLD
*2005 World Taekwondo Championship GOLD
*2006 Asian Taekwondo Championships GOLD
*2006 Doha Asian Games BRONZE
*2007 World Taekwondo Championship BRONZE
*2008 Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament GOLD
*2008 Beijing Olympic Games GOLDee also
*
Iranian City and Village Councils elections, 2006 External links
* [http://www.hadisaie.com Hadi Saei] official Web Site
* [http://www.tkdm.com/bbs.php?table=TKDNews&query=view&uid=128/ World Tae Kwon Do Online Magazine]
* [http://www.taekwondoplayers.20m.com/custom2.html/ Tae Kwon Do players (Tae Kwon Do fan site)]
* [http://tkd.lt/ Tae Kwon Do Club / Kauno Taekwondo Klubas]
* [http://tkd.lt/videobeijing-2008/80--80-men-iri-vs-ita Saei's Final Match in Beijing 2008 Olympic]References
* [http://www.parssport.ir/sport_heros/hadi%20saie/hadi_saie.htm Biography]
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