1.    Tell us a little bit about your story?

I left Iran two years ago and I am about to participate in the Paris 2024 Paralympics under the refugee team’s flag.  My ultimate goal is to win a gold medal.

2.    What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your life and on your journey to Paris?

Leaving my country, being separated from my family, and living in various refugee camps have all been the most difficult experiences of my life. 

3.    Can you share any personal stories that highlight how much you have overcome?

Perhaps it’s not easy for anyone who has never been a refugee to understand, but being forced to flee your country, being away from your family and the enormous challenges you face in a new country are some of the hardest conditions any human can experience.

4.    How did you get involved in sport?

I became interested in table tennis when I was at school.  But I had not thought of being a professional, because of my disability, until I went to a sports centre for people with disabilities in my city.  I saw people there who looked like me playing table tennis.  That started my dream of being a top-level athlete. 

5.    What adjustments do you have to make to compete and what does sport mean to you?

Athletes with disabilities face two opponents.  The first is the other athlete they are taking on in competition.  The second opponent is the illness or disability we live with every day.

6.    What is your biggest sporting achievement to date?

My biggest sports achievements are the two gold medals I won at the Asian Youth Para Games 2021 in Bahrain.

7.    Is there a special moment that was a turning point in your life?

The moment I won those two gold medals and was recognised as the only record holder in my sport in Iran and was considered one of most successful athletes at those Asian Youth Para Games. 

8.    What lesson can others learn from your journey?

Perseverance was the most important thing I learned, and that success can come after many hardships.

9.    What does it mean for you to be on the Refugee Paralympic Team?

It means having a free and safe flag that strives for its athletes to excel in every moment. 

10.    What are your hopes in Paris?

My goal is to try with all my might, and to hopefully win a medal.

11.    What message do you hope to share with others?

Giving up is the worst thought for any human.  Hopefully people will see, through me, that there are always opportunities no matter what you are going through.

12.    What has sport meant to you and your life?

Sport is like breathing to me.  I don’t feel alive without sport.