Hadi Saei

Hadi Saei
Member of City Council of Tehran
Assumed office
3 September 2007
Personal details
Born Hadi Saei Bonehkohal
(1976-06-10) June 10, 1976
Rey, Iran
Political party Independent
Other political
affiliations
Reformists Coalition (2007)
Alma mater Islamic Azad University
Religion Islam

Sports career

Country  Iran
Sport Taekwondo

Hadi Saei (Persian: هادی ساعی, born June 10, 1976 in Rey) is an Iranian councilor and former taekwondo athlete who became the most successful Iranian athlete in Olympic history after winning gold in the 2008 Summer Olympics. He competed in the Men's 68 kg (featherweight) at the 2004 Summer Olympics and won the gold medal. In addition, he competed in the Men's 80 kg at the 2008 Summer Olympics[1] and won his second olympic gold. Earlier in his career and in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Saei had won the bronze medal. He was elected as member of City Council of Tehran in 2006 local elections and was reelected in 2013.

Personal life

He has suffered great personal tragedy having lost his brother and father in the same year, in addition to his younger brother who succumbed to cancer the following year.[2] Saei is originally Iranian Azerbaijanis from the East Azerbaijan Province and Bostanabad city.[3]

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 the Iranian town of Bam 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 two times. Currently, he is a senior at the Iran Physical Education University.

Saei officially ended his career as a Tae Kwon Do athlete on November 8, 2008 (18 Aban 1387).[4]

2008 Summer Olympics

In the first match against the Nepalese Deepak Bista his right hand was fractured during the fight however he did not indicate his injury throughout the entire competition despite enormous pain until he won the final against the Italian Mauro 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 coach Reza 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 received 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

Hadi Saei in the role of the police, Amin Tv series

Artistic activity

Hadi Saei in 2015 starring in the TV series Amin directed by Manuchehr Hadi, was actor.[5]

See also

External links

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hadi Saei.
Awards
Preceded by
Hossein Rezazadeh
Iran Sportsperson of the year
2004
Succeeded by
Hossein Rezazadeh
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