News / Sports

Hosts defeat Iran wheelchair b-ballers in Rio 2016 Paralympics

Monday, 12 September 2016 2:03 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 12 September 2016 3:55 PM ]

This photo shows a view of the Group B wheelchair basketball match between Iran (players in red) and Brazil at the preliminary round of the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, September 11, 2016.

Iran men's national wheelchair basketball team has fallen victim to hosts Brazil in its fourth match of the preliminary round of the 2016 Summer Paralympics.

On Sunday, the Iranian side conceded 50-73 to Brazilians in a Group B match played at the indoor and multi-purpose Rio Olympic Arena in Barra da Tijuca region of western Rio.

The host nation started in energetic fashion and bolted out to a 10-13 first quarter lead over Iran.

The Brazilian wheelchair basketball players continued to chip away in the second quarter, and were off to a 26-9 win.

The Brazilian outfit maintained the lead in the third quarter and scored points to pull out a 19-13 victory.

However, in the final quarter, the Iranian physically-challenged sportsmen rebounded from their losses and outscored Brazilians 18-15.

Iran will play Algeria in its next group stage match on Monday.

The Islamic Republic of Iran National Paralympics Committee has dispatched a 111-strong delegation, dubbed the Mina Caravan, to the 12-day sporting event. Iranian sportsmen and women are vying for medal in 12 different sports.

China is on the top of the medal count table with 49 medals (20 golds, 17 silvers and 12 bronzes).

Great Britain has claimed the second spot with 27 medals (12 golds, six silvers, nine bronzes), and Ukraine is on the third with a total of 26 medals (seven golds, six silvers and 13 bronzes).

The United States, Brazil, Australia, Uzbekistan, Canada, South Korea and New Zealand have earned the 4th to 10th places respectively.

Iranian athletes have already taken home four medals - one gold and three silvers - putting the Islamic Republic in the 32nd slot of the medal count table so far.

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