Moroccan taekwondo athlete Haitham Zarhouti won bronze in the under-80 kg category at the Paris Grand Prix, the final leg of the World Taekwondo Grand Prix Series, held from October 9 to 11.
The 21-year-old, ranked 15th in the Olympic world rankings, recorded three consecutive victories before his run ended in the semifinals, where he lost to Uzbekistan’s Jasurbek Jaysunov, ranked sixth in the world, in two rounds (8-6, 3-2).
Zarhouti began his campaign with a hard-fought victory over Egypt’s Ahmed Rawi, the African champion in the under-87 kg category. He won the bout two rounds to one (2-2, 3-2, 8-6). He then defeated Belarusian Artem Turafino in the round of 16 by the same score. Turafino is third in the Olympic rankings and won the Mojo Golden Tour Series.
In the quarterfinals, Zarhouti delivered a commanding performance against Russia’s Artem Mitariev, ranked ninth in the Olympic standings and a bronze medalist at the 2025 World Championships. The Moroccan won in straight rounds (4-3, 4-0), securing his place on the podium and the first Grand Prix medal of his career.
With this result, Zarhouti joins fellow Moroccan taekwondo athletes Achraf Mahboubi, Nada Laaraj and Amina Dahaoui, who have also won Grand Prix medals.
Morocco’s bronze brings the country’s total medal tally in the international competition to six.
Held at the Marcel-Cerdan Sports Palace, the 2026 Paris Taekwondo Grand Prix is a G-6 event on the world circuit. It gives competitors an opportunity to improve their international rankings ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
