The six top athletes of the year 2022 were elected by the Iranian Sport Journalists Association (ISJA) from different sports disciplines.
Three females and three males’ athletes of the year 2022 were elected by the Iranian Sport Journalists Association (ISJA) from different sports disciplines.
In the women's category, Iran’s paralympic champion Hashemiyeh Motaghian Moavi has been chosen along with, Nazanin Malaei and Seyedeh Elham Hosseini the Asian champions of rowing and weightlifting, respectively.
According to the ISJA, the list of the top athletes will be sent to the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) and the best elected ones are due to be introduced in the latest editions of the AIPS Magazine.
The magazine is online and available for download on the AIPS website.
Hashemiyeh Motaghian
Acquiring an impairment following complications from a polio vaccine as a child, Hashemiyeh Motaghian has started her life with disability.
She began Para athletics at the age 23 in her hometown Ahwaz.
Hashemiyeh debuted for Iran at the 2014 Asian Para Games in Incheon, South Korea, and hopes that her success will inspire people with disabilities in Iran to take up sport.
Unforgettable Paralympic Games
Winning her first Paralympic title at the Tokyo Games, she broke the world record in the women’s F56 javelin, as well.
Motaghian who was participating in her second Paralympic Games, missed out of the podium spot in Rio 2016 and that fourth-place finish was hurting her a lot.
She previously won two silver medals in the event at the World Para Athletics Championships in London in 2017 and Dubai in 2019.
The ISJA's top three votes were as follows in the two categories:
Women:
1- Hashemiyeh Motaghian Moavi (Para Athletics)
2- Nazanin Malaei (Rowing)
3- Seyedeh Elham Hosseini (Weightlifting)
Men:
1- Mahdi Taromi (Football)
2- Kamran Ghasempour (Wrestling)
3- Reza Dehdar (Weightlifting)