Born in Mahabad,Iran, Kazem Panjavi began his journey with a passion for gymnastics and Kung Fu.His coach,Taha AhmadNezhad, supported him to weightlifting, where Kazem quickly excelled, becoming a national champion and representing Iran at the Olympics. His career has been shaped by overcoming various challenges, particularly persistent discrimination,faced prejudice in Iran as a Kurdish Sunni, encountering bias due to his ethnicity. In the UK, he navigated obstacles as an Iranian in a predominantly English environment. Later, in India, as a foreign coach from the UK, his background led to resistance.Currently, he operates in a competitive landscape where his expertise is sometimes met with apprehension by those who feel it challenges their own standing. Despite these difficulties, Kazem's dedication and integrity continue to propel him forward
Now a record-holding weightlifter and a respected global coach,Kazem inspires others through his work at Ealing and his books on weightlifting