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Injuries couldn't stop him! Is Azerbaijan's taekwondo star the most inspiring athlete of the Paris Olympics?

A few days ago, athlete Angelina Topic attracted a lot more interest at the Paris Olympics. No, she didn’t break any event records. But she kept attempting the high jump qualification round, despite having a fractured ankle. Ultimately, she had to bow out of the penultimate event as the pain left her shriveled. However, today, Gashim Magomedov hoisted the flag of human resilience on that front. 

The taekwondo athlete from Azerbaijan claimed the silver medal today, facing a defeat from his South Korean opponent, Park Tae-joon. Till now, nothing stands to defy the odds. But according to the updates, Gashim appeared in the final today with his injury. He couldn’t miss the 58-kg event final by giving a walkover. Rather, he stood to the very end to counter the Korean superstar.

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Notably, today at the Grand Palais in Paris, the taekwondo competition set the pace for the first time at the Paris Olympics. Park Tae-joon drew the first stunner of the day by defeating Mohammed Khalil Jendoubi, the current world champion in the sport. The victory in the semifinals pushed him to face Gashim Magomedov. The latter did not enter the final event silently. Instead, he pulled off a similar cracker of a game to reach the last station. 

The athlete from Azerbaijan overpowered Vito Dell’Aquila in the semifinal round. The stakes remained high for the Italian athlete, who was the defending Olympic champion. But the 24-year-old’s blitzkrieg proved heavy for Vito, as he had to accept his defeat. However, in the meantime, Gashim Magomedov faced an injury. But he decided to continue for the final. 

While facing the South Korean opponent, the European Championships medalist tried to attain the score. But things remained way above average. Furthermore, a collision with Park Tae-joon’s leg left him grimacing with pain. He ended up grabbing his leg on the mat. From there, a comeback could have been barely possible, as the points could come through a valid kick or punch to the rival’s head or trunk protectors. For Gashim Magomedov, his leg froze because of the injury. Ultimately, the Korean piled up points on his will. 

After the 9-0 in the first round, he took away the second one with a 13-1 scoreline. That ended Gashim’s gritty run at the Paris Olympics. But fans didn’t miss his fight from a point where he could barely stand. 

What’s your perspective on:

Injuries couldn't stop him! Is Azerbaijan's taekwondo star the most inspiring athlete of the Paris Olympics?

Have an interesting take?

Fans cheer for the fallen hero because of his all-in attack at the Paris Olympics 

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Saluting Gashim Magomedov’s resilience, one fan commented, “mad respect to Gashim Magomedov he got injured early on in the men -58kg finals but he kept on going before he they decided the match was over and Park Tae-joon won.” The fans also cherished the Korean athlete’s performance. Another sports enthusiast embraced the fight as a statement on its own. 

The subsequent comment celebrated the fight in the face of complications. The lines emerged as, “Despite his injury and constant pain, Gashim Magomedov continued the competition and gave his all in the final. He finished with a silver medal”. And the presence of such willpower often increases the level of achievement. 

In Gashim Magomedov’s case, this is evident. So when someone pens, “What a fighter! Despite injury and constant pain, he didn’t give up and gave his all in the final. The silver medal is really worth more than gold in this case”, the color of the medal changes. In the meantime, Gashim’s countrymen also showed up to celebrate his fight. 

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This time as well, the pride comes from mentioning the brave battle against the fierce rival. Pointing to that, the fan wrote, “Gashim Magomedov, our taekwondist, won a silver medal in the final despite a serious injury. Great job on another medal for Azerbaijan!”  Meanwhile, a common tone stands out. One judicious follower put it “I really have the greatest respect for Gashim Magomedov.” That is the biggest achievement of Gashim Magomedov—being a beacon of resilience for his fans. 

What do you think of the whole story? Let us know in the comments below.