Sitting volleyball, a Paralympic sport played close to the ground, involves players moving around the court and hitting over a net standing under 4 feet tall. The Iranian team has been dominating with the help of Morteza Mehrzadselakjani, the world’s second-tallest man at 8-foot-1. He has led Iran to the sitting volleyball semifinals in Paris, set to begin on Thursday at North Paris Arena. Mehrzadselakjani, diagnosed with acromegaly, has aided Iran in winning matches without dropping a set. With six points in their group, Iran aims for a third consecutive gold medal and its eighth Paralympic gold in sitting volleyball.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian athlete Oksana Zubkovska clinched her fifth gold in long jump at the Paralympic Games since 2008, with her latest win in Paris standing out as special given the circumstances at home. Zubkovska competes in the T12 classification for individuals with partial vision impairment. Her winning mark of 5.78 meters outshone her opponents in the event.
In wheelchair basketball, the United States men’s team completed pool play undefeated after a 76-69 victory against Australia. With three wins under their belt, the American squad, two-time defending gold medalists, is now focused on the quarterfinals. The U.S. team, captained by Fabian Romo, outscored their opponents 202-159 during the tournament. The Americans are awaiting the result of matches to determine their quarterfinal opponent, with France being a possibility. Veteran player Nate Hinze expressed excitement at the prospect of playing a host country, reminiscing about previous experiences in London and Tokyo.
