Hadi Saei Biography, Life, Interesting Facts

Childhood And Early Life

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

Education

Hadi Saei received a Graduate degree in Physical Education from Azad University in Tehran.

Rise To Fame

Saei’s rise to fame on Taekwondo began when he won a silver medal at the World Military Taekwondo Championships in Manila, the Philippines in 1995. He then won bronze at the same championship in Pula, Croatia in 1996. Then in 1998 he his first gold medal at the World Taekwondo Cup in Sindelfingen, Germany and in 1999 Hadi Saei won gold at the World Taekwondo Championships in Edmonton, Canada in the Welterweight class. He continued winning gold and silver medals in his events and 2008 he won a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics; this was despite the fact that he had injured his wrist in the first match against Nepal’s Batista.

Saei won sixteen gold medals, three silver, and four bronze medals before his retiring from the sport in November 2008.

Later Life

Hadi Saei as elected the Chairman in 2011, he was elected Chairman of the Nassaji Mazandaran Football Club in Mazandaran, Iran. He has also served as a member of the Tehran City Council.

Awards And Achievements

In 2004 Hadi Saei was named Iran’s Sportsperson of the Year. He is one of three Taekwondo experts to have won two Olympic gold medals (2004, 2008) and one of two to win bronze as well as gold at an Olympic Games (2000). He was also Iran’s sole gold medalist at the Athens Olympics in 2008.

Personal Life

Hadi Saei married Kamand Sadeghi in 2004.