Iranian roller skater Ahmadi eyeing World Games gold
Iranian roller-skating sensation Taraneh Ahmadi says she will settle for nothing less than the gold medal at the upcoming World Games.
The 12th edition of the World Games will kick off in Chengdu, China, on Thursday, featuring 34 sports and 60 disciplines that are not contested at the Olympic Games.
Ahmadi, 23, will enter the multi-sport event fresh off winning a speed slalom silver medal in inline freestyle at the 20th Asian Roller Skating Championship in Jecheon, South Korea, in late July, courtesy of a final defeat against Chinese Taipei’s Liu Chiao-his.
This was a second setback for Ahmadi against her familiar foe in a major event, following the final loss at the Hangzhou Asian Games two years ago.
“The competition featured Asia’s top-notch skaters. All top global contenders in the sport are from East Asia, which is why the event in Jecheon essentially carried the same weight as the World Championship,” Ahmadi told IRNA.
“The gold medal at the Asian Championship was the only outcome I had envisioned before the event. I even recorded a better time in the final showpiece, but I was penalized for a last-second error, which eventually cost me the ultimate prize,” added the Iranian girl, who also won a precious bronze medal at the high-profile Hero Battle Cup in Milan in June.
“I’m a bit exhausted, but with little time left before the World Games, I had to resume round-the-clock training just days after returning from South Korea.
“I’m determined to learn from my mistake at the Asian Championship to deliver a flawless performance in Chengdu. My goal is to reclaim the gold I lost to the Chinese Taipei opponent, and I’ll do everything to make that happen.
“Inline freestyle skating will make its World Games debut this year, and I’m working hard to reach peak form before heading to China. Since my national team debut in 2016, I’ve pursued nothing but the ultimate prize in every competition.
“I have notched up some historic firsts for Iranian skating – including our nation’s breakthrough world gold in 2017. The gold medal is all that has ever mattered to me – worth fighting for with everything I’ve got throughout these years. Nothing short of a top-podium finish will fulfil my ambition in Chengdu,” added the Iranian girl.
Joining Ahmadi in representing the country in the women’s Inline freestyle event at the World Games is 20-year-old Romina Salek – a former world speed slalom record holder, who won the gold medal at the Hero Battle Cup but was unlucky to miss out on the podium at the Asian Championship, finishing fourth.
Amirmohammad Savari and Reza Lesani, meanwhile, will vie for success in the men’s competitions.
Savari and Lesani secured an all-Iranian 1-2 finish in Milan, before the latter went on to win a bronze in Jecheon.