TEHRAN – Iran Mountaineering and Sport Climbing Federation President Reza Zarei praised Reza Alipour’s silver medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, saying the athlete could compete in the 2028 Olympic Games.
According to Zarei, the experienced speed climber has been a world-class performer and record-holder for years and that his silver medal was worth as much as gold.
Speaking about the standard of competition in sport climbing at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Zarei said Asian athletes have dominated the men’s speed climbing event, with China and Indonesia making significant progress on the world stage over the past decade.
“South Korea, Japan, and Iran have also achieved good results in international competitions,” he said.
Zarei added that Ukraine, Poland and Russia had previously been among the leading nations in the discipline. However, since sport climbing became an Olympic sport, the United States has invested heavily in its development, helping the discipline reach a relatively mature level worldwide.
In Iran, a lack of infrastructure in most provinces has limited the development of the sport, leaving the country reliant on individual talents such as Alipour, the federation president said. He also noted that some Iranian female climbers have achieved success in international competitions at youth level.
“Reza Alipour has been a leading figure in the sport and a record-holder on the world stage for years. In Nagoya, he used his valuable experience to win silver, a medal that was worth no less than gold,” Zarei said.
He explained that Alipour had struggled with an injury for some time after the Olympics, which disrupted his training routine. However, following the Asian Beach Games, the Iranian climber resumed a positive training trajectory and continued to make progress.
Zarei’s comments also pointed to Alipour’s potential to remain competitive at the highest level, with the federation president expressing confidence that the veteran speed climber could still take part in the next Olympic Games.
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