Peyman Gavidel, who won bronze at the Asian Games, believes that the Iranian sprint canoeing team faces a challenging task at the upcoming 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya. Nevertheless, he is convinced that thorough preparation will allow the team to contend for medals.
Commenting on his preparation for his third participation in the Asian Games, Gavidel emphasized that consistency in the training process is crucial. He noted that their work is extremely difficult, and they are in a very vulnerable position: the slightest lag in training will negatively affect their confidence and ability to show maximum potential.
Gavidel highly praised the achievements of the Ukrainian head coach of the Iranian national team, Sergey Bozugly, calling him one of the world leaders. He compared him to Pedro, noting that Sergey cannot compare to him because Pedro was a world champion and close to winning the London Olympics, finishing fourth after being in contention for a medal until the last fifty meters. He stated that Pedro's track record speaks for itself.
Furthermore, Gavidel pointed out that although Pedro's former coach was not solely responsible for Iran's disappointing results in Hangzhou, internal problems and disagreements within the national team played a significant role. He explained that issues within the canoeing system and distractions led to the division of the team, which hindered the achievement of desired results.
Gavidel reported that Iran will not field a four-person boat in Nagoya. Instead, they will participate in the K2 discipline with Ali Agamirzaei and in the mixed race with Elnaz Shafian. Despite acknowledging the strength of traditional Asian leaders such as China, South Korea, and Japan, he believes that Iran has the quality to fight for the podium.
He added: 'We have good boats and good athletes. If everything goes according to plan, I believe good results are possible in Nagoya.' Gavidel previously won bronze in the K2 500m discipline at the previous Asian Games and believes that partnering with Agamirzaei gives Iran even more chances to win a medal this time.
