TEHRAN – Iran’s men’s sitting volleyball team manager Hadi Rezaei says that they competed in the Asian Para Games in Nagoya with a mixture of experienced and young players.
Team Melli were crowned champions of the Games for a record fifth time, completing a flawless campaign without losing a single match or even dropping a set.
Speaking about the team’s success at both the World Championships and the Asian Para Games, head coach Rezaei highlighted the importance of introducing fresh talent into the squad.
“After winning the World Championships, we made changes to the team. Five players who were not part of our squad at the World Championships in Hangzhou were included in the team for the Nagoya Asian Para Games,” Rezaei said.
“We won on two fronts: we lifted another trophy just two months after becoming world champions, and we achieved it with a new-look squad. This gives us a strong foundation for the future.”
Rezaei also addressed the decision to leave out experienced captain and setter Davoud Alipourian.
“Perhaps many people thought the team would struggle without Alipourian. However, we had a young player ready to step into his role, and he performed very well. We also had an 18-year-old in the squad who made a significant impact.”
“Sometimes, difficulties create greater solidarity and team spirit. We experienced that in Nagoya. Perhaps without those challenges, we would not have become champions in such convincing fashion.”
Rezaei acknowledged the enormous expectations surrounding the national team, explaining that years of success have made maintaining the country’s reputation an increasingly demanding task.
“People associate Iranian sitting volleyball with winning championships. That makes our job difficult, although it is also something to be proud of. In a competition where many athletes are eliminated before reaching the finish line, anything other than first place is considered a failure for Iran’s sitting volleyball team.”
The head coach also highlighted Iran’s unbeaten run in Nagoya, particularly the team’s two convincing victories over Kazakhstan — first in the group stage and then again in the final.
“Kazakhstan finished third at the World Championships just two months ago, but we defeated them twice in Nagoya, both times by a 3-0 scoreline,” Rezaei said.
“These results demonstrate the considerable gap between the two teams. We also have a significant advantage over other countries, which is something we are pleased about.”
Reflecting on Iran’s overall performance at the Asian Para Games, Rezaei said the national teams had achieved their objectives, with the men winning gold and the women securing silver.
“We achieved what we set out to accomplish: the men’s championship and the women’s runners-up finish. Now our responsibility is to maintain these achievements.”
Rezaei described the women’s silver medal as an improvement in performance and significance compared with their previous runner-up finish.
“Although the women’s team repeated their result from the previous edition, this silver medal was more valuable. Iran increased their advantage over the teams in second and third place while narrowing the gap with China, the champions. Defeating Japan on their home court was also a major achievement.”
Looking ahead, Rezaei stressed the importance of proper planning for the women’s team ahead of next July’s Paralympic qualification tournament.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: tehrantimes.com
