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Iran best-performing country at Paris Olympics 2024 – 0.29 medals per athlete

Wednesday, 14 August 2024 9:51 AM [ Last Update: Monday, 16 September 2024 3:25 PM ]

Arian Salimi, a 20-year-old Iranian taekwondo athlete, clinched gold in the +80 kg category at the Paris Olympics 2024.

The curtains have come down on the Paris 2024 Olympics, and athletes have returned to their respective countries after two weeks of electrifying on-field performances.

Among them, Iranian athletes, except for the freestyle wrestlers who will head home on Wednesday evening, received a rousing reception upon their return in recent days.

The Iranian delegation, consisting of 41 athletes, secured 12 medals at this marquee sports event held every four years, with all of their medals coming from wrestling and taekwondo.

The four-member taekwondo team scripted history by bringing home four medals: one gold, two silvers, and one bronze. Notably, Arian Salimi's gold marked Iran’s first in taekwondo in 16 years.

Nahid Kiani also became the first Iranian female taekwondo athlete to win an Olympic silver medal.

Iran with 0.29 medals per athlete stands at the top of the list.

In wrestling, Iran earned eight medals—four in the Greco-Roman division and four in freestyle. The two gold medals in wrestling were claimed by Greco-Roman wrestlers Hadi Saravi and Saeid Esmaeli.

Iran ranked first among West Asian countries in terms of the total number of medals at the Paris Olympics and was recognized as the best-performing country in terms of medals per athlete.

Iran's total of 12 medals included 3 golds, 6 silvers, and 3 bronzes. With 41 athletes representing the country at the Paris 2024 Olympics, this equates to 0.29 medals per athlete—a significant achievement at the world's biggest and most prestigious sporting event.

China and South Korea followed with 0.23 medals per athlete, although China's haul of 91 medals, including 40 golds, placed it second overall, after Iran.

▶️ Iranian athletes put up impressive performances at Paris 2024 Olympics

Press TV's Alireza Ekhtiarzadeh reports from Paris as Games wrap up. #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/AKHxyIBbnh
— Press TV at Paris Olympics (@presstvsports) August 13, 2024

The United States, which sent 592 athletes to Paris, ended up in fourth place with 0.21 medals per athlete, followed by the United Kingdom with 0.20 medals per athlete.

Uzbekistan, which sent 86 athletes to the Paris Olympics, ranked sixth with 0.15 medals per athlete. Kenya, known for its world-class sprinters, followed closely with the same 0.15 medals per athlete.

The Netherlands, represented by 273 athletes at the event, secured 0.12 medals per athlete. The host nation, France, with 573 athletes, recorded 0.11 medals per athlete.

Australia rounded out the top ten with 0.11 medals per athlete, having sent 461 athletes to the Paris Olympics 2024, which commenced on July 26 and concluded on August 11.

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