Kamilah Salim, Hungary’s dual-sport teen, wins taekwondo gold and reaches steeplechase final at EYOF 2025 in Skopje, North Macedonia; Two-sport prodigy at 16.

Meet Kamilah Salim, Hungary’s rising dual‑sport teen balancing greatness in taekwondo and steeplechase

Salim was a standout at the 2025 European Youth Olympic Festival, winning gold in taekwondo and qualifying for the steeplechase final. The recently crowned European taekwondo champion shared her Olympic dreams and her determination to turn them into reality.

On a blue mat, dressed in protective gear, Kamilah Salim unleashes a series of high kicks to claim the gold in the women’s -44kg category in taekwondo .

The Hungarian had fought her way past a field of promising opponents before holding off a late resurgence to emerge victorious in the final.

But there is barely time to celebrate her colossal victory. Another final awaits.

Two days later, she is across town at the National Arena Todor Proeski in Skopje, lining up for the women’s 2000m steeplechase final on the track . “You’ve made it,” she whispers to herself, a quiet moment of satisfaction.

At the time of the two-sport feat, Salim is still only 16, turning heads at the 2025 European Youth Olympic Festival in North Macedonia while competing in both taekwondo and athletics for Hungary—a rare combination, even at the highest level of sport.

To say she has been involved in taekwondo since she could walk is hardly an exaggeration. Salim grew up in the dojang , and as soon as she mastered her baby steps, she was already kicking.

“I started taekwondo when I was two years old, and it just became a whole family thing, every family member kept going,” Salim tells Olympics.com from her home in California.

Her passion for running came just as naturally.

“I started running for cross training,” she explains.

“My dad was running too but he wasn’t competitive. My uncle competed at a higher level; I think I have the running genes from that.”

Her father is Gergely Salim , who represented Denmark at the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games where taekwondo was a demonstration sport. His mother was Hungarian, through whom the Salim children are able to represent Hungary.

And now the young Salim, the third of four siblings who are all taekwondo athletes, hopes she can follow in the family’s Olympic footsteps.

“Watching my brother at Paris 2024 was a big thing. I was imagining myself in that Olympic ring, fighting, wow, it was just amazing. I have always imagined the Olympics since I was a little girl, so just going to LA 2028 would be the biggest thing for me .”

Kamilah Salim during a past competition.

Dual-sport high school standout on the mat and on track

Just over a year ago, Salim was a standout track and cross-country athlete at her California high school.

Then at the 2025 Hungarian U18 Championships, she dominated in the women’s 2000m steeplechase, and then took the next step at the 2025 European Youth Olympic Festival.

Her rise on track has been as explosive as her kicks on the mat.

“I started running when I was little, mainly for cross-training. I enjoyed doing it competitively, especially because I was winning most of the races I entered,” she recalled.

“My routine would be a run in the morning, then taekwondo later. Taekwondo focuses on explosiveness, which also helps in running—especially with the barriers in the steeplechase.

“I’ve found that steeplechase gives me an advantage in taekwondo. The flexibility, the strength, and the way I can extend and explode through the barrier movements.”

Competing against Europe’s top young talent brought a new challenge, but Salim was unfazed.

After all, she had already been competing internationally in taekwondo since the age of 10, proudly picking up on a family passion. Taekwondo runs deep in the Salim household.

Her father transitioned to coaching, and her mother, Sabrina, is also a taekwondo trainer. Her brother Omar is a world champion, while Sharif competed at the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018 . Her younger sister, Nala, is emerging as a promising athlete.

Kamilah Salim competing in the steeplechase.

Chasing taekwondo honours and honouring family’s tradition

“The European [Youth Olympic Festival] was definitely mental,” she said. “But I believed if my legs could do it, then I can do it.”

That balance came at a cost.

“What I have always done is switch to taekwondo mode or vice-versa, as they’re two very different sports. I always have a different mindset for each.

“So in the steeplechase heats, I felt really good, it was about maintaining pace and making the final. Then taekwondo came along, and by the time I got back to the track, my legs were a little fatigued.”

Still, she remains encouraged by her rapid progress, even after a ninth-place finish in that steeplechase final.

“Considering I only started steeplechase last year, my times were pretty decent. I was probably number two in the U.S. [in my age group] at some point,” she said.

From left to right: Gergerly, Sabrina, Kamilah, Nala, Omar and Sharif Salim.

LA 2028 a natural progression

Salim is building an impressive profile across both sports. On track she’s yielding some impressive personal records across a variety of distances.

So, what does the future hold for the Hungarian as she steps into her first year of competition as a senior ?

“ Taekwondo is definitely the big option,” she stated.

She’s already built a strong profile on the mat. Just last month, Salim announced herself on the senior stage by upstaging the reigning world champion Emine Göğebakan of Türkiye to clinch the women’s -46kg title at the European Championships.

“I’ve been through a lot, and knowing I can be here at the top level is one of the things that is pushing me,” said Salim, whose foundation was built at the family’s taekwondo centre in California.

“I train with my brothers, and they’ve been a huge influence. And from just seeing them achieve what they have. I also train with other athletes around my weight, even though there aren’t many of us.”

With LA 2028 on the horizon, she stepped into this season’s training fully caught up in the Olympic hype. The teenager opened her season with silver at the Canada Open before clinching the U.S Open title in the women’s-46kg category.

Her competition record this far has seen her obtain the 2026 European senior title from Munich, along with two cadet continental titles and a youth silver medal—so the Olympics feels like a natural step.

“Going to 2028 would just be the biggest thing for me. Taekwondo is the bigger option for now, though my dad thinks that I can do both,” she said laughing, reasoning that the pressure to perform in both would be the same.

“I’m like, ‘Really?’ Because they could be on different days…”

Still, she does not rule it out.

“Maybe by next year I will get better in steeplechase and hit the qualifying times. For now, I just have to keep training hard and believe in it. If you believe you can do it, then you can do it. I am determined to make it.”

Salim is currently competing at the 2026 World Taekwondo Grand Prix Series in Rome.

Picture by the Salim family (provided)