Omidullah Alizadeh, an Afghan refugee athlete, in his first appearance at an international competition in several years, managed to win three medals—gold, silver, and bronze—at the 7th edition of the Savate International Championships, held in Nepal.
He announced that he won the gold medal in the international power fighting category of Savate, the silver medal in the Asian-level controlled fighting (Asut) category, and the bronze medal in the international Asut competition for the under-70 kg weight class.
The 7th Asian Savate Championship and the “Open Himalaya” International Competition were held from April 30 to May 3, with the participation of 270 athletes from 10 countries in Nepal. Omidullah Alizadeh competed as a representative of the Refugee Team.
This marked his first international appearance after about seven years of living as a migrant in Kenya. He currently resides in the Kakuma Refugee Camp and, alongside competing, also coaches and trains young athletes.
The World Savate Federation stated that his participation in these competitions symbolizes resilience and inclusion, and his life journey as a refugee reflects determination and perseverance in sports.
Before migrating, Omidullah Alizadeh was a member of the Afghanistan National Savate Team from 2017 to 2019 and had earned the title of “Best Fighter” in domestic competitions in the sport.
He had previously attempted multiple times to compete in international tournaments but faced challenges such as obtaining visas and covering travel expenses. Ultimately, he was granted permission to participate as a representative of the refugee community.
During the tournament, in his first match, he defeated an opponent from India, who was a regional champion. He then advanced to the finals after victories over athletes from Nepal and India.
In the final match, Omidullah Alizadeh defeated an opponent from Indonesia to win the gold medal in the Savate power fighting category.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
