PARIS - Afghan Zakia Khudadadi completed a remarkable journey to become the first athlete from the refugee team to win a medal at the Paralympics when she clinched a taekwondo bronze on Thursday.

Khudadadi, who made her Paralympics debut in Tokyo days after being exfiltrated from Kabul, secured her place on the podium when her opponent withdrew before their bronze medal bout in the K44-47kg category.

The 25-year-old, who was granted asylum by France, was cheered on like a local throughout the day by the Grand Palais crowd and by her coach, Haby Niare, who took a taekwondo silver medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

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"This medal is fantastic for me but also for all the women in Afghanistan and all the refugees," she said in impeccable French.

"We're not giving up for equality and freedom in my country."

Khudadadi, who was already looking ahead to the next Games in Los Angeles where she said she intended to win gold, delivered a message of freedom.

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"And that all of us work towards that, for liberty and equality," Khudadadi, who was born with an atrophied arm, said.