Hadi Saei

Saei is married to Kamand Sadeghi since 2004.

The athlete faced family tragedy when his father and brother passed away in the same year. His younger brother died of cancer the following year.

His sister Mahrouz Saei Bonehkohal is also a Taekwondo instructor and Iran’s top female Taekwondo champion. Despite facing cultural challenges, she persists in teaching young girls and women the art of Taekwondo.

Saei was born on June 10, 1976, in Ray, Iran. He started learning Taekwondo at the age of six.

He received a Graduate degree in Physical Education from Azad University in Tehran. In 1999, at the age of 23, he became the Taekwondo World Champion when he won the Gold medal in Edmonton, Canada.

The famous Taekwondo athlete has won 16 Gold, 3 Silver, and 4 Bronze medals throughout his career.

In 1995 he was awarded the SILVER medal in the World Military Taekwondo Championships in Manila, Philippines.

In 1996, he won the BRONZE medal at the World Military Taekwondo Championships held in Pula, Croatia.

In 1998, he won his first GOLD medal in the World Taekwondo Cup in Sindelfingen, Germany.

In 1999, he again won a GOLD medal in the World Taekwondo Championships, Edmonton, Canada, in the Welterweight class.

Iran’s Physical Education Organization in conjunction with the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) named Hadi Saei Iran’s Sportsperson of the Year in 2004.

Saei is only one of three Taekwondo practitioners to win two Olympic gold medals (2004 and 2008) and one of two to win a bronze (2000) in addition to the gold.

During the 2008 Olympics in Athens, Greece, Saei became the only Iranian to take home a medal. The martial artist competed in the 80 kg Middleweight category and prevailed in his first match beating Deepak Bista from Nepal 7-0. He then defeated China’s Zgu Guo 3-2. The gold medal victory came when he faced off against Mauro Sarmiento from Italy and won the match 6-4.