Shahineh Izadiyar, Iran's most decorated Paralympic swimmer, has announced his departure from competitive swimming after a brilliant career. During five Asian Paralympic Games, he won 28 medals.
Despite concluding his outstanding journey in the pool, Izadiyar emphasized that his connection to sports has not ended, and he plans to return to the sports field soon as a coach.
In an exclusive interview with Tehran Times, Izadiyar shared memories of his achievements, memorable performances, and key moments that shaped his career.
He recounted that his first participation in the Asian Paralympic Games took place in Guangzhou, China, in 2010. At that time, he was only 17 years old and managed to win two gold, one silver, and three bronze medals, becoming the most decorated athlete in the Iranian delegation. Furthermore, he broke the Asian record in both events where he won gold.
In 2012, Izadiyar participated in the London Paralympics, being the first and only representative of Iran in swimming. This was a historic achievement for the Iranian Paralympic swimmer, who made it to the final of the men's 100-meter breaststroke for the first time.
Izadiyar continued to win medals at the 2014 Asian Paralympic Games in Incheon, South Korea, where he received five silver and one bronze medal. He noted that although he did not manage to win gold in Incheon, thanks to five silvers and one bronze, he once again became the most decorated athlete in the Iranian delegation.
Two years later, Izadiyar participated in the second Rio de Janeiro Paralympics in 2016, once again representing Iran as the country's sole representative in para-swimming. He reached the final of the 100-meter breaststroke, setting an impressive time of 1:09.63, and also recorded 25.32 seconds in the 50-meter freestyle, which is the current record.
The culmination of Izadiyar's career was the 2018 Asian Paralympic Games in Jakarta, where he delivered a sensational performance, winning six gold and one silver medal. He stressed that Jakarta was his third Asian Paralympic Games and an unforgettable experience. With six gold and one silver medal, he became the most decorated among approximately 3700 participants in the Games.
Although Izadiyar missed the Tokyo Paralympics, he returned to the continental arena at the Hangzhou Asian Paralympic Games in 2023, competing at the age of 30. In Hangzhou, he won two silver and three bronze medals, once again securing the position of the most decorated athlete in the Iranian delegation.
Izadiyar also represented Iran at the Paris Paralympics in 2024 alongside swimmer Sina Zeigamindjad, but an injury prevented him from reaching the final. His last competitive appearance was at the Asian Paralympic Games in Nagoya, where he added three silver and one bronze medal to his impressive collection.
