Had Alizadeh won that match she'd have secured the Refugee Olympic Team's first ever medal since its creation in 2016. Earlier on Sunday, Alizadeh beat an athlete representing Iran -- Nahid Kiyani Chandeh -- in a qualifying round. Five years ago Alizadeh became the first Iranian woman to win an Olympic medal competing for Iran after claiming bronze in taekwondo at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Affectionately known in Iran as "The Tsunami," Alizadeh announced in 2020 she'd permanently left her birth country for Europe amid searing criticism of the Iranian regime.
