Para taekwondo: Ismael Ox exclusive on surviving grenade blast in Niger, overcoming homelessness, and chasing LA28 Paralympic glory for Team USA

Surviving homelessness to earning his spot at the Team USA dojo

In 2018, Ox went to the U.S. for a tournament, and wanted to stay, searching for a better life. But that first meant homelessness and hunger.

“I was a bit naive; I didn’t know you needed any papers or even money to survive in America. I didn’t speak a word of English. I was 17, and I didn’t realise I needed a family, a home. It meant doing some hard casual jobs and sleeping mostly on the streets and in train stations. I would beg, do odd jobs for $10 a day. It was very hard.

“Not many people wanted to give me a job, with my one hand. When the conditions improved, I moved from one foster care to the next, but I really didn’t care,” said Ox.

Every setback he faced only made him more determined.

Ox found a breakthrough within New York’s taekwondo community by mainly leveraging his past competitive record. His surname, derived from a nickname that was born in the farms of Niger, where he worked alongside the powerful animal, is a fitting symbol of the strength and resilience that continue to define his fights.

Now based in Brooklyn, where he connected with his current trainer, Ali Badara, the taekwondo athlete entered and dominated local competitions, including the U.S. Open, which he won in the -75kg class.

Becoming a U.S. citizen in 2025 gave him a new stage. The reigning U.S. national champion is now ranked among the top 25 in the world, and has been invited to train with Team USA as he harbours dreams of competing for the country he now calls home at the LA 28 Paralympics.

As he looks to compete at the World Championships in Chuncheon, South Korea, from 16-20 September, Ox, who has just won the 2026 Swiss Open, remains dependent on public support and fundraising to cover the costs of his training and travel to competitions.

But like the Ox he is, he charges on.

“I am not doing this just for me. Most of my life I have been competing against the odds,” he said.

“I want my journey to motivate somebody else. I grew up with nothing, in an unstable home, I know what it means to sleep hungry, to be homeless. I know suffering, but I am still here. I know many kids out there are suffering right now. I know it’s hard, but listen: if I made it, you will make it. Never give up, put in the work and just stay disciplined.”