Iran’s 24-year-old sprinter Hajar Safarzadeh bags silver in Paralympic debut in Paris
Iran’s 24-year-old sprinter, Hajar Safarzadeh, secured a silver medal in the women’s 400m – T12 event at the Paris 2024 Paralympics on Tuesday, the 12th medal for the Islamic Republic.
Safarzadeh finished second, clocking 55.39 seconds, just behind Cuba’s legendary sprinter Durand Elias Omara, who clinched the gold with a time of 53.59 seconds.
Bronze medals were awarded to Boturchuk Oksana from Ukraine and Perez Lopez from Venezuela.
Safarzadeh, along with 24-year-old para-athlete and shooter Seyed Mohammadreza Mirshafiei, were the flag bearers for the Iranian contingent during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Paralympics.
In an interview last November, she expressed her desire to finish on the podium in Paris, where she is making her Paralympic debut.
Just days before the competition, Safarzadeh again expressed her determination to win a medal at the Paris Games in an interview with the Tehran Times.
🇮🇷🥈Iran’s 24-year-old para athlete Hajar Safarzadeh clinches silver in women’s 400m – T12 at the Paris Paralympics 2024, 12th medal for the Islamic Republic in the competition.#ParisParalympics2024 pic.twitter.com/HIdRVbIXDJ
— Press TV at Paris Paralympics (@presstvsports) September 3, 2024
“I am in my best form at the moment and well-prepared for the 2024 Paralympic Games. I would like to thank my coaches who helped me prepare for the competition,” Safarzadeh stated.
“I have worked really hard over the last five years for the Paralympic Games, and I want to achieve fruitful results in Paris. Of course, I know that I need to be the best version of myself in the Games.”
Safarzadeh had previously won gold at the 2024 World Para Athletics Championships held in Japan in May, where she set a new Asian record by completing the women’s 400m T12 in 57.56 seconds.
Her silver medal has brought Iran’s total medal tally at the Paris Paralympics to 12, including 2 gold medals, 7 silver medals, and 3 bronze medals.
Iran has sent 65 athletes, competing in 10 sports, to the Paris Paralympic Games.
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