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Leader lauds Iranian athletes’ performance at Rio 2016 Olympics

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has praised all members of Iranian sports teams taking part at the 2016 edition of the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

“I welcome and extend my gratitude to the recently-arrived Olympics delegation, to the champions who delighted the nation with their medals, to the athletes who were deprived of their right due to unfair refereeing, to the sportspeople whose failure does not reduce the value of their effort and endeavor, to the sportswomen who flaunted the honorable medal of the Iranian woman's attire, to the brave lady who shone in the lead of the delegation in complete hijab, and to the country’s coaches and sports veterans,” the Leader wrote in a message released on Tuesday.

Flag bearer Zahra Ne’mati of Iran leads the Islamic Republic’s contingent into the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, during the opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics. (Reuters) 

The Iranian delegation landed in the 25th slot of the medal count table at the end of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Iranian athletes took home a total of 8 medals (three gold, one silver and four bronze).

Iran’s weightlifter Kianoush Rostami ended his campaign in the men’s 85-kilogram weight category tied on an aggregate of 396 kilograms, and was awarded the gold medal. The 25-year-old Iranian sportsman also improved his world record by one kilogram.

Iran's Kianoush Rostami competes during the men's weightlifting 85-kilogram event during the Rio 2016 Olympics Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on August 12, 2016. (Reuters)

Sohrab Moradi, another Iranian weightlifter, also impressed the crowd in the men's 94-kilogram contests, and raised a combined total of 403 kilograms overhead to top the podium.

Hassan Yazdani triumphed over Russian contestant Aniuar Geduev in the final bout of men's 74-kilogram freestyle wrestling competitions, and collected another gold medal for Iran.

Komeil Ne’mat Ghasemi lost to Turkey’s Taha Akgul 4-3 in the final meet of men's 125-kilogram freestyle wrestling competitions, and earned a silver medal.

Taekwondo practitioner Kimia Alizadeh Zenoorin was named the first Iranian woman to win an Olympic medal, taking the bronze in the minus 57-kilogram weight class by defeating Swedish athlete Nikita Glasnović.

Iran's taekwondo practitioner Kimia Alizadeh Zenoorin jubilates after winning a bronze medal in women’s minus 57-kilogram weight category during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on August 18, 2016. (Reuters)

Hassan Rahimi claimed a bronze medal in the men’s 57-kilogram category of freestyle wrestling.

Greco-Roman wrestler Saeed Abdevali prevailed over Hungarian counterpart Peter Bacsi 3-1 and won a bronze medal in the 75-kilogram weight class.

Ghasem Rezaei also defeated Sweden's Carl Fredrik Stefan Schoen in the bronze medal contest of men’s 98-kilogram weight category.


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