Official Spokesperson States Iran's Performance at Youth Olympics in Dakar Was Satisfactory

A team of six students from Iran demonstrated outstanding results at the fifth edition of the Open World Astronomy Olympiad (OWAO), winning six gold medals. The event took place in Russia from November 6 to 14.

The gold medals were won by Sarina Alampour, Parsia Hassanzadeh, Elshan Rouhani, Mohammad-Reza Mohammadi, Bardia Kilavizadeh, and Mehdi Aryafar, according to the IRNA agency. OWAO is a modern and rapidly developing competition that brings together talented and enthusiastic student astronomers from all over the world.

The Olympiad combines the best astronomical traditions with advanced knowledge assessment methods, and the tasks are developed by leading experts from various countries. The event was organized with the support of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation.

The competitions are open to teams of two to six participants (aged 18 or younger). Each team may have one supervisor and up to two observers (adults). Only one team can represent a country.

The Olympiad includes four stages: theoretical, practical, observational, and test rounds. The working language is English, but participants may use a glossary pre-translated by team supervisors into national languages.

The Iranian national team in astronomy and astrophysics was recognized as world champion for the third consecutive year after winning five gold medals at the XIX International Olympiad of Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA 2026).

Iranian students won five gold medals at an international competition held in Hanoi, Vietnam, from September 25 to October 5, 2026. This year, over 320 students from more than 66 countries participated in the Olympiad. The gold medals for Iran were won by Sarina Elmpoor, Mohammad-Hosseyn Hosseini, Hirbod Fodazi, Hossein Masumi, and Arshia Mirshamsi-Kahaki.

Iran's unsatisfactory performance at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, has raised serious questions about the country's ability to develop a new generation of sporting talents.

Iranian athletes won only one gold, four silver, and three bronze medals in Dakar, finishing 38th overall. This result represents a significant decline compared to the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, where Iran won seven gold, three silver, and four bronze medals, finishing seventh.

The contrast between these two campaigns is particularly worrying, given that the Youth Olympic Games serve as a platform for discovering, developing, and preparing young athletes for major international competitions. The event is intended to provide rising stars with valuable international experience and help them take their first steps toward becoming future Olympic and world champions. However, the Dakar campaign showed little sign of progress for Iran.

Winning only one gold medal compared to seven in Buenos Aires highlights the scale of the decline. Although the number of medals does not reflect the entire picture of the country's sports development, such a substantial drop in ranking should serve as a warning to Iranian sports officials.

Nevertheless, the Iranian delegation also had positive moments. The women's futsal team made history by defeating Italy in the third-place match and winning a historic bronze medal. This achievement demonstrated the potential of Iranian female athletes and was one of the brightest moments in what seemed to be a disappointing campaign.

However, isolated successes cannot hide broader problems reflected in Iran's overall results. Traditionally, Iran has been considered one of the leading sporting powers in West Asia, especially in disciplines such as wrestling, weightlifting, taekwondo, and combat sports. Maintaining this position requires constant investment in grassroots programs, improvement of coaching structures, and systematic talent identification.

The results in Dakar indicate that Iran risks losing its standing to new sporting powers if significant changes are not implemented. The responsibility now lies with sports administrators and national federations to study the causes of this decline. More attention must be paid to youth development, international experience, coaching standards, and ensuring young athletes have proper conditions and support.

It is expected that the athletes who participated in Dakar will form the foundation of Iranian sports in the coming years. Therefore, their development must be viewed as a national priority, not a short-term project. The Youth Olympic Games are not just about collecting medals; they are about building tomorrow's champions. Iran's performance in Dakar should serve as an alarm bell: without a clear strategy and serious investment in young talent, the country's sporting status may continue to deteriorate.

Iranian cyclist Mandana Dehghan shared her opinion on her performance at the Asian Games in Nagoya, noting the high technical complexity of the course and the difficulties she faced in both disciplines.

Dehghan finished 13th in the individual time trial with a time of 41:05.39, and subsequently secured 14th place in the women's road cycling race.

In an exclusive interview with Tehran Times, Dehghan emphasized that the Asian Games are the largest multi-sport event on the continent and hold immense significance for athletes across Asia. She noted that all participating countries conduct long-term preparation so that athletes can arrive in peak condition and achieve significant results.

Dehghan specifically highlighted that the course for the women's road cycling race in Nagoya was technically particularly challenging due to its numerous short and steep climbs. Several months before the start, it became clear that Iran would only receive one quota spot for the women's road cycling competition. The federation selected her based on her experience, athletic preparation, and previous participation in similar races in Europe and Asia.

Her goal was to present an athlete capable of competing with the best in Asia, not merely a participant whose main task was to finish the race. She participated in both the time trial and the road race. Her participation in the time trial was primarily aimed at preparing for the road race. Given the condition and characteristics of the course, they understood that competing for top spots in the time trial would be difficult, so she did not conduct special, targeted training for the time trial bike.

Strong teams from Asia participated in the road race, each fielding three athletes, which significantly complicated the competition. In previous editions of the Asian Games, each country was allowed two participants, so the competitive dynamic was different. Competing against powerful three-person teams under these conditions was extremely difficult. Nevertheless, she gave her all and ultimately finished 14th out of 41 participants.

Dehghan also pointed out the unpredictable nature of road cycling, explaining how external factors can significantly influence the outcome of a race. Unlike many closed or time-oriented sports where athletes compete in relatively stable and controlled conditions, road cycling is subject to numerous unpredictable factors. Rain, wind, the technical condition of the course, and incidents during the race can affect the final result. For example, an accident involving a rider ahead of the peloton can create a gap between rivals and the main group. Closing this gap requires significant energy expenditure. Unfortunately, something similar happened to her during this race, and she had to expend a lot of energy catching up on lost ground.

Another important aspect was her preparation for the Games. Three months before the competition, she worked diligently on developing an optimal training program. Furthermore, she participated in several international races and arrived in Nagoya in good physical shape.

According to her, success in cycling is not guaranteed simply by increasing financial investment or participating in a large number of races. She mentioned that teams from Japan, Uzbekistan, and the UAE invested significant financial resources and trained for months in Europe, yet their final results did not always meet expectations. This demonstrates that besides planning, resources, and physical fitness, the race conditions and unpredictable events play a decisive role in determining the outcome. Sometimes circumstances favor the athlete, and sometimes they go against all invested effort and preparation.

One of the most encouraging aspects of her performance is that several athletes who finished behind her were recognized Asian champions and prominent competitors in previous Asian Games. This shows that she reached a level that allows her to compete with some of the best cyclists on the continent in one of Asia's most important road cycling events. Dehghan expressed hope that the Iranian sports community and the wider cycling community will recognize the importance of this achievement and will not judge athletes solely by medals or their final positions.

Dehghan stressed her long-standing commitment to raising the profile of Iranian women's cycling on the international stage. Throughout her career, she has strived to promote the development and greater recognition of Iranian women's cycling in Asia and Europe. She has never accepted an invitation to a competition just to cross the finish line, gain experience, or participate for recreational purposes. She has always approached every international mission with the determination to perform at her best level. She overcame serious difficulties and prepared through meticulous planning, detailed course analysis, and comprehensive assessment of opponents.

Today, despite the lack of a medal, she is completely satisfied with her performance. This does not mean ignoring the gap between her current standing and higher aspirations. Rather, it reflects her confidence in the work done and her understanding of her own capabilities. She remains committed to long-term planning, continuous improvement, and achieving better results in future competitions. Dehghan concluded that her ambitions have always been greater than simply participating in races; she wants to represent Iranian women's cycling as an athlete capable of competing with the best in Asia and worldwide, and she will continue to work towards this goal.