Kajal Shrestha’s fighting career ended. Her taekwondo journey didn’t

The taekwondo champion was forced to retire halfway through her career. Now she dreams of reaching the big stages again—this time as an international referee and mentor.

On December 4, 2019, when taekwondoin Kajal Shrestha won gold in the 13th South Asian Games, she couldn’t fight back her tears. Once the time was up and Shrestha was leading 50-14 against the Pakistani athlete, she took off her helmet and let out a loud shriek. The crowd erupted. Shrestha hugged her coach, took the Nepali flag and went running around the mat at the hall of the Nepal Taekwondo Academy in Satdobato, Lalitpur. Then she cried.