The Iranian para archer Zahra Nemati had a great performance in the Asian Archery Championships in Bangkok, Thailand to mark the first Iranian athlete to win a Games gold and a Paralympic Champion.
Nemati, who became the first woman from her country to win an Olympic or Paralympic gold medal at London 2012, came second in the recurve women’s qualification tournament in Bangkok.
“I do my best to catch honours in Olympic and Paralympic Games simultaneously and I am so happy to get that since I motivate all archers in my country," said Nemati.
Iranian National Paralympic Committee President Mahmoud Khosravi Vafa praised Nemati, pointing to the success in Thailand as a memorable day for the Paralympic Movement in the country.
In a press conference he said the victory was an opportunity for the country to secure more slots toward the Games while Iran NPC also received congratulatory messages from the National Olympic Committee President, and from across the sporting community in the country.
The competition was the first of five continental qualification tournaments to the Olympic Games and awarded five new nations places to Rio 2016.
Nemati has remained in Bangkok joining other Iranian para archers competing at the 2015 World Archery Asian Para Championships which began on Tuesday 10 November.
The disabled members of Iran’s national team participating in the tournament include Somayyeh Abbaspoor, Shahab Reihani and Majid Kakoosh who are all in a good condition having had good training sessions.
Previously, during the recent World Archery Para Championships in Donaueschingen, Germany, 17 Paralympics places were awarded to Asian nations: China, South Korea, Thailand and Iran who won 4 tickets.
The 2015 World Archery Asian Para Championships began on Tuesday 10 November in Bangkok, Thailand, with the event marking the second opportunity to earn qualification places at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
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