Para-athlete Irene Mar has made history by securing the seventh position in the world rankings after an impressive performance at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. Competing in Para-taekwondo, Mar was the only athlete from the Oceania region to come close to winning a medal during the first week of events.
The 19-year-old, a former student of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial High School, captivated the audience at Grand Palais by defeating highly-ranked Ukrainian competitor Yuliya Lypetska with a stunning score of 25–3 in the women’s K44-57kg category.
Mar advanced to the quarter-finals but faced defeat against Turkey’s Gamze Gurdal. She then competed for a bronze medal in the repechage round, where she was ultimately bested by Kamilya Dosmalova from Kazakhstan.
Additionally, Mar had the honor of being Team Fiji’s flagbearer during the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games. She is recognized as the third woman from Fiji to participate in tae kwon do at both the Olympic and Paralympic levels, following Venice Traill and Lolohea Naitasi, who competed in the Olympics in July.