Asian Youth Para Games:
Iran collects 262 medals, finishes runner-up to Uzbekistan
Iran bagged 262 medals, including 76 golds, to finish runner-up in the overall standings at the Asian Youth Para Games in Dubai, UAE.
Represented by 194 athletes across 11 disciplines, the Iranian delegation – dubbed ‘The Children of Iran, Ambassadors of Victory’ – also collected 96 silvers and 88 bronzes, marking its highest-ever medal haul across five editions of the multi-sport event.
Uzbekistan topped the table with 99 gold, 57 silver, and 88 bronze medals, while Japan, Thailand, and Indonesia rounded out the top five.
Amir-Mohammad Haqigatshenas brought the curtain down on a prolific campaign for Iran on Saturday, defeating his Thai opponent in the final to claim gold in the men’s -70kg taekwondo category.
The Iranian women’s team also finished on a high note in goalball, prevailing 6-2 over Thailand to secure gold, while the country settled for bronze in the men’s competition.
Meanwhile, Ali Rasti and Arsham Ramezani teamed up to win gold in the boys’ doubles table tennis event, bringing Iran’s tally in the sport to three golds and six bronzes. The Iranian duo produced a sensational comeback, rallying from two games down, to defeat Chinese Taipei in the final.
Para swimming and para athletics proved Iran’s most successful disciplines in Dubai, yielding 104 and 82 medals, respectively.
Iran had also finished runner-up in the first three editions of the Asian Youth Para Games – Tokyo 2009, Kuala Lumpur 2013, and Dubai 2017 – before claiming the top spot in Manama 2021 with 144 medals.