Rohullah Nikpai

{{short description|Hazara Taekwondo practitioner}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Rohullah Nikpa <br>{{Nobold|{{small|{{nq|روح‌الله نیکپا}}}}}} | image = Rohullah Nikpai speaking in 2012-cropped.jpg | image_size =  | caption = Nikpa speaking in 2012 in Kabul, Afghanistan | headercolor = | birth_name =  | full_name =  | nickname = | nationality = Afghan | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|06|15}} | birth_place = Maidan Wardak, Democratic Republic of Afghanistan<ref>[http://www.london2012.com/athlete/Nikpa-rohullah-1067420/ Rohullah Nikpa] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130128082842/http://www.london2012.com/athlete/Nikpa-rohullah-1067420/ |date=January 28, 2013 }}. london2012.com</ref> | death_date = | death_place = | height = 180 cm | weight = 68 kg | website =  | country = Afghanistan | sport = Taekwondo | event = | collegeteam = | club = | team = | turnedpro = | coach = | retired = 2017<ref name="Kabul Now"/> | coaching = | worlds = 2011 Gyeongju | regionals = 2008 Luoyang | nationals = | olympics = 2008 Beijing | paralympics = | highestranking = | pb = | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's taekwondo }} {{MedalCountry | {{flagcountry|AFG|2004}} }} {{MedalCompetition | Olympic Games }} {{MedalBronze | 2008 Beijing | 58 kg }} {{MedalBronze | 2012 London | 68 kg }} {{MedalCompetition | World Championships }} {{MedalBronze | 2011 Gyeongju | Featherweight }} {{MedalCompetition | Asian Championships }} {{MedalSilver | 2012 Ho Chi Minh City | Featherweight }} {{MedalBronze | 2008 Luoyang | Flyweight }} {{MedalBronze | 2014 Tashkent | Featherweight }} {{MedalCompetition | South Asian Games }} {{MedalGold | 2016 Guwahati-Shillong | 68 kg }} | show-medals = yes }}

'''Rohullah Nikpai'''<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/olympic-taekwondo-medallist-rohullah-nikpai-wants-to-bring-happiness-to-afghanistan |title=Olympic taekwondo medallist Rohullah Nikpa wants to 'bring happiness' to Afghanistan |work=Kimberly Kwek |publisher=The Straits Times |date=June 24, 2023 |access-date=August 6, 2023}}</ref> ({{langx|prs|روح‌الله نیکپا}}; born June 15, 1987) is a taekwondo practitioner and two-time Olympic bronze medalist from Afghanistan. As of 2024, he is the only Afghan athlete to have won a medal at the Olympics. In 2023, he became the coach of New Zealand’s national taekwondo team.<ref name="Kabul Now">{{cite news |url=https://kabulnow.com/2023/08/rohullah-nikpa-appointed-coach-of-new-zealands-national-taekwondo-team/ |title=Rohullah Nikpa appointed coach of New Zealand's national taekwondo team |publisher=Kabul Now |date=July 6, 2023 |access-date=August 6, 2023}}</ref>

==Career== An ethnic Hazara, Nikpa started his training in Iran, at the age of 10.<ref>[https://www.espn.com/olympics/summer08/news/story?id=3544339 Nikpa hopes his medal can serve as message of peace] ESPN</ref> During the 1990s civil war, his family left the city and lived as refugees in Iran. He became a member of the Afghan Taekwondo team after watching martial arts films. He repatriated to Afghanistan in 2004 and continued his training at the government provided Olympic training facility in Kabul. At the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar Nikpa competed in the flyweight division where he was defeated by eventual silver medalist Nattapong Tewawetchapong of Thailand in the round of 16.

Nikpa competed in the 58 kg category at the 2008 Summer Olympics, defeating two-time world champion Juan Antonio Ramos of Spain to win the bronze medal, making him Afghanistan's first (and as of 2025, only) Olympic medalist in any event. He became a national hero, returning to Afghanistan and getting off the plane to be met with a crowd of thousands. Then-Afghan President Hamid Karzai immediately called to congratulate Nikpa. Karzai also awarded him a house, car, and other luxuries at the government’s expense.<ref>Amir Shah and Rahim Faiez (August 20, 2008). [https://web.archive.org/web/20080825002641/http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news?slug=ap-afghanistansmedal&prov=ap&type=lgns Afghan medalist wins a house, cheers from country]. Associated Press</ref> "I hope this will send a message of peace to my country after 30 years of war," Nikpa said.<ref>{{cite news |author=Amir Shah |author2=Rahim Faiez |title=Afghanistan in awe after winning first Olympic medal. |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/beijing/fight/2008-08-20-afghan-medalist_N.htm?csp=34 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=USA Today |date=20 August 2008 |accessdate=August 20, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/BIO/Athlete/5/8005295.shtml |title=Athlete Biography of Rohullah Nikpa |website=Beijing2008.cn |publisher=The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827105216/http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/BIO/Athlete/5/8005295.shtml |archive-date=August 27, 2008 |access-date=}}</ref> In the 2012 Summer Olympics, Rohullah entered the 68 kg category, where he was defeated by Iran's Mohammad Bagheri Motamed; he eventually won his bronze medal at the Olympic Games after defeating Martin Stamper of Great Britain.

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{Twitter|id=NikpaRohullah|name=Rohullah Nikpa}} * {{TaekwondoData}} * {{SR/Olympics profile|ni/rohullah-nikpai-1}} * {{Olympics.com|rohullah-nikpai}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nikpa, Rohullah}} Category:1987 births Category:Living people Category:Hazara sportspeople Category:People from Maidan Wardak Province Category:Taekwondo practitioners at the 2008 Summer Olympics Category:Afghan expatriates in Iran Category:New Zealand people of Afghan descent Category:Afghan male taekwondo practitioners Category:Olympic taekwondo practitioners for Afghanistan Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Afghanistan Category:Olympic medalists in taekwondo Category:Taekwondo practitioners at the 2012 Summer Olympics Category:Taekwondo practitioners at the 2006 Asian Games Category:Taekwondo practitioners at the 2010 Asian Games Category:Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics Category:Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics Category:Asian Games competitors for Afghanistan Category:World Taekwondo Championships medalists Category:Asian Taekwondo Championships medalists