Born in Kathmandu without a left palm
Palesha Goverdhan
पलेशा गोवर्धन
First Nepali athlete to win an Olympic or Paralympic medal, taking Para taekwondo bronze at the 2024 Paris Paralympics
About
Palesha Goverdhan was born in Kathmandu without a left palm. At age ten, she took up taekwondo as a pastime. She quickly discovered a talent for it. In 2016, she joined Nepal’s newly formed Para taekwondo team.
She was selected for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, the first Games to include Para taekwondo. There, she narrowly missed a medal. Three years later, she returned at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. She defeated Serbia’s Marija Micev in the bronze medal match. This made her the first athlete in Nepal’s history to win a medal at either the Olympic or Paralympic Games.
Quick facts
- Born
- 2003-07-25
- Birthplace
- Kathmandu, Nepal
- Profession
- Para taekwondo athlete
- Nationality
- Nepal
- Status
- Alive
Education
Tongji University
Career & life timeline
- 2003
- 2013
Took up taekwondo at age 10 at school
- 2016
Joined Nepal's fledgling Para taekwondo team
- 2021
Competed at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, narrowly missing a bronze medal
- 2024-08-31
Won bronze at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, becoming Nepal's first-ever Olympic or Paralympic medallist
Achievements
First Nepali athlete to win an Olympic or Paralympic medal
2024Bronze in women's K44 -57kg Para taekwondo at the Paris 2024 Paralympics
Gold medal, Asian Youth Para Games
2021Bronze medal, Asian Para Games
2022
Last updated: 2026-09-06