Kina Elyassi

Kina Elyassi (born 6 May 1965) is an Iranian-American athlete, martial artist, boxer, bodybuilder, fitness trainer, and entrepreneur. QH7, Paris Times. “Sports Celebrities.” Iran: Sports Celebrities - ورزشکاران معروف ایرانی, Paris Times, 15 Jan. 2004, www.parstimes.com/sports/sports_celebrities.html. She serves as a school district leader for Montgomery County Public Schools.
==Early Life==
Elyassi was born in Tehran, Iran. She immigrated to the United States in 1978 shortly after the Iranian Revolution. Javid, Jahanshah. “Interview with Female Boxer Kina Elyassi.” The Iranian: Interview, Female Boxer Kina Elyassi, 23 Feb. 2001, iranian.com/Features/2001/February/Elyassi/index.html. Elyassi began competing in martial arts at an early age. Her early training is accredited to her father. Reed, Levan, Brett Haber. WUSA9 Segment Kina Elyassi. Dailymotion, WUSA9, 17 June 2008, https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5t3t6. Accessed 30 Dec. 2023. 
==Athletic Career==
===Taekwondo===
Elyassi began her career in the United States, training in Washington D.C. She trained under instructors during time in South Korea, and competed and won the 1986 Taekwondo Grand Championships in Madison Square Garden . In her Olympic Trials, she received the title of National Champion to which she was rewarded gold medals.. She was part of the U.S. Olympic Team in the 1988 Seoul Olympics for Taekwondo. In 1989, she competed Taekwondo weight classes|bantamweight in the 14th National Collegiate Taekwondo Championships, to which she won 2nd place representing Georgetown University. National Collegiate Taekwondo Association. “1989 National Collegiate Taekwondo Championships - NCTA.” National Collegiate Taekwondo Association, 26 Feb. 2017, ncta-usa.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/1989-NCTA-results.pdf. She competed again at the 15th National Collegiate Taekwondo Championships in the flyweight category. Elyassi has competed in more than 200 competitions, winning gold and silver medals in the majority of them. Elyassi is a 7th degree blackbelt in Taekwondo. 
====Competition History====
* 1986 Hall of Fame - Madison Square Garden
* 1987 Pan-American Taekwondo Games
* 1987 U.S. Olympic Trials in Taekwondo, 1st USA Open Championship
* 1988 Maryland State Taekwondo Championship
* 1988 U.S. Nationals Championship - Gold
* 1988 Olympic Games, Seoul, South Korea
* 1992 Olympic Games, Barcelona, Spain
===Boxing===
In 1998, Elyassi began professional boxing, where she began training under 1976 Olympic Boxer Charles Mooney. Elyassi competed in the U.S. Women's National Championships flyweight category in April 1999 weighing 51kg . Strefa, Amateur Boxing. “3.US Womens National Championships - Scranton - April 20-24 1999.” US Womens Nationals 1999, Strefa Amateur Boxing, 11 Mar. 2016, amateur-boxing.strefa.pl/Nationalchamps/USA1999w.html 
===Bodybuilding===
While simultaneously professionally boxing, Elyassi also began bodybuilding in the early 2000s in which she began weight training with trainers Cyp Wilfred and Shawn Rhoden VOA. “Pumping Iron!” Voice of America, Voice of America (VOA News), 27 Oct. 2009, www.voanews.com/a/a-13-2007-07-25-voa29-66780342/565068.html. . Elyassi competed in the 2007 National Physique Committee East Coast Tournament of Champions, to which she won 2nd place in the Heavyweight category. Fitness, Bodybuilding. “Bodybuilding, Figure, Fitness and Bikini Fitness Website - Click Here and Visit Us!” Bodybuilding Fitness, National Physique Committee, 20 Sept. 2017, www.bodybuildingfitness.org/competitor_kina-elyassi. Elyassi also competed in the 2007 National Physique Committee Team Universe Championships, also in the Heavyweight category. Athletes Gallery, Ambal. Kina Elyassi, Ambal.ru Bodybuilding Photography Collection, 5 Nov. 2012, www.ambal.ru/man.php?m=2798. Getbig. “2007 NPC Team Universe Championships (Women’s).” NPC Team Universe Bodybuilding Women’s Results, Getbig Contest Results, 19 Aug. 2002, www.getbig.com/results/womens/teamuniversewomens.htm. She also competed in the 2007 Lehigh Valley Bodybuilding & Figure Championship Development, Muscular. “Kina Elyassi - Lehigh Valley Bodybuilding & Figure Championship.” Contests, Muscular Development Magazine, 31 Dec. 2007, www.musculardevelopment.com/contests/bodybuilders/11904-kina-elyassi/event/1070-lehigh-valley-bodybuilding-figure-championship-2007. 
====Competition History====
* 2007 NPC East Coast Bodybuilding Championship, 2nd Heavyweight
* 2007 NPC East Coast Bodybuilding Championship, Best Poser
* 2007 NPC Lehigh Valley Bodybuilding Championship, 2nd Middleweight
* 2007 Team Universe Bodybuilding Championship, 7th Heavyweight
Category:1965 births
Category:People from Tehran
Category:Iranian people
Category:Martial artists