Youth Olympic champion Navid Mohammadi, 18, killed in car crash just eight months after winning karate gold

KARATE champion Navid Mohammadi has tragically died in a car crash at the age of 18. The World Karate Federation confirmed in a statement that the promising fighter was killed in an accident in his home city of Tehran, Iran. Mohammadi won the boys’ over-68kg gold medal at the Buenos Aires 2018 Summer Youth Olympic […]

KARATE champion Navid Mohammadi has tragically died in a car crash at the age of 18.

The World Karate Federation confirmed in a statement that the promising fighter was killed in an accident in his home city of Tehran, Iran.

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Mohammadi won the boys’ over-68kg gold medal at the Buenos Aires 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games.

Local reports claimed he was speeding in his car during the early hours of June 6 when he lost control.

It was alleged that the car crashed when exiting Kouhsar tunnel – although this has not been confirmed.

Ahmad Mobaraki, head of the provincial council of karate in Fars province in south west Iran, said Mohammadi was driving alone and that no one else was injured.

In addition to his gold, Mohammadi was also the winner of several national honours and claimed runner-up spot in the male junior over-76kg category at the 2018 Asian Karate Federation Cadet, Junior and U21s Championships in Japan.

The WKF statement read: “At 18 years old, Navid Mohammadi was one of the most promising karatekas in the world.

“The young karate enthusiast made history for the sport when he won the gold medal in the category of male kumite over-68kg in the first appearance of karate at the Youth Olympic Games.”