With historic medal haul, Iranian girls steal limelight at 2025 Asian Youth Games

By Press TV Website Staff

The curtains came down on the Asian Youth Games 2025 in Bahrain on Friday, with Team Iran emerging as one of the standout delegations of the marquee continental tournament.

The Iranian contingent secured an impressive 70-medal haul, including 25 golds, in what officials hailed as one of the country’s best performances in youth sports.

The true highlight of Iran’s campaign, however, was the trailblazing success of its young female athletes, who defied stereotypes and made history across multiple disciplines.

From handball and volleyball to taekwondo, boxing, and weightlifting, Iranian girls dominated the headlines, achieving “first-ever” milestones in their respective sports.

In many disciplines, these remarkable victories marked the first time Iranian women stood on podiums in a fiercely competitive continental competition, displaying colorful medals – a proof of years of hard work, training, and quiet revolution in women’s athletics.

Futsal glory in Bahrain

In one of the most thrilling finals, the Iranian girls’ futsal team clinched the gold medal after defeating formidable China in a nerve-wracking penalty shootout.

After a goalless draw in regular time, the match went to penalties, where Iran prevailed 3-2, capturing both the championship title and the hearts of futsal fans worldwide.

Led by coach Fatemeh Sharif, with players Fatemeh Shekarani, Niyayesh Rahmani, Tanaz Bagheri, Hadis Yari, and Narges Amir Mohseni in the starting lineup, the team displayed remarkable discipline and composure in a contest where emotions were running high.

The championship title followed a semifinal win over Chinese Taipei, while in the bronze match, Chinese Taipei defeated Hong Kong 6-1.

Before kickoff, the Iranian players performed a military-style salute during the national anthem, a moment that symbolized unity and pride, a trend that has become increasingly common since the recent 12-day Israeli-American war of aggression on Iran.

First-ever volleyball gold

Another historic moment came on the volleyball court, where the Iranian girls’ volleyball team defeated Indonesia 3-2 in a high-voltage final to clinch the country’s first-ever gold medal in this age category.

After a hard-fought battle, Iran claimed the opening set 28-26, stumbled in the next two (25-20, 25-18), before rallying back to dominate the fourth set. The decisive fifth set was a nail-biter, but the Iranian team pulled through, sealing a monumental win for the country.

The historic gold medal triggered an avalanche of reactions back in Iran and proved that Iranian women’s volleyball has come a long way. They are the real powerhouses now.

The boys’ team also won the gold on the same night, bringing double delight to fans.

Dominant and unstoppable in handball

The Iranian girls’ handball team delivered another golden performance of the Asian Youth Games 2025, winning five consecutive matches to bag the country’s first-ever Asian Games gold in handball – at any level

After impressive victories over China, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Thailand, Iran crushed India 43-26 in their fifth game, clinching the title before the tournament even ended.

The young team’s blend of agility and tactical precision made them an unstoppable force in the continental competition, marking a turning point for Iranian handball.

Shakibai makes history in judo

Iranian young judoka Mahsa Shakibaei carved her name into history by winning gold in the -48 kg category, becoming the first Iranian woman ever to win a judo gold across all age categories of the Asian Youth Games.

In the summit clash, Shakibaei overcame Alua Baltabay of Kazakhstan with a decisive ippon, under the watchful eyes of Arash Miresmaeili, President of Iran’s Judo Federation.

Her historic win symbolized both technical excellence and mental resilience, as veteran judokas acknowledged, promising a bright future for women’s judo in Iran.

In the same event, Abolfazl Nazari earned bronze in the boys’ -55 kg division.

Weightlifters break records

Iran’s young women weight-lifters also impressed at the Asian Youth Games in Bahrain, combining strength with pride to bring laurels to the country.

Hasti Sadighi made history by earning Iran’s first-ever girls’ weightlifting medal, a bronze in the 63 kg clean & jerk with a 105 kg lift.

Alma Hosseini, competing in the 69 kg category, broke her own national record by lifting 121 kg in clean & jerk, winning two bronze medals to add to her World Youth Championship bronze.

Nasim Ghasemi won two silver medals in the 77 kg category, lifting 94 kg in snatch and 114 kg in clean & jerk, marking a new personal best. She narrowly missed gold to Uzbekistan’s Kholdorova, who lifted 95 kg.

Boxing milestone: Rastgar’s historic bronze

In another first, young boxer Fatemeh Rastgar won bronze in the +80 kg category, marking Iran’s first-ever women’s boxing medal at an international competition.

Rastgar fought her way to the semifinals before falling to Kazakhstan’s Elnura Kangirt. Her coach and provincial federation hailed her performance as “the beginning of a new path” for Iranian women’s boxing.

“This medal,” said Mohammadreza Mahmoudi, President of Fars Boxing Federation, “is not just a medal, but a message of perseverance and pride."

Triple gold in taekwondo poomsae

Iran’s taekwondo stars delivered a triple delight with three gold medals in poomsae, thanks to the stellar performances of Behdad Naghei and Zeynab Shahriari, both 16, who won both individual and mixed team events.

Shahriari’s flawless final routine scored 8.86, defeating Kristine Aguilla of the Philippines. She also teamed up with Naghei to win mixed team gold for Team Iran.

Iran also added three bronze medals through Sana Shayegan and the mixed team event.

MMA and Muay Thai brilliance

Iran’s entry into MMA and Muay Thai proved equally fruitful at the Asian Youth Games 2025.

Tiam Dehpahlavan won Iran’s first-ever MMA gold in the girls’ 60 kg category after defeating Mongolia’s Erdene Bat in two straight rounds.

Amir Mohammad Hatamian added another gold for Iran in the boys’ division.

In Muay Thai, Iranian fighters bagged nine medals (2 gold, 2 silver, 5 bronze), including golds by Baran Jani (under-40 kg) and Rozhan Behnami (under-48 kg), both beating Thai opponents.

Basketball and kabaddi medals

In 3x3 basketball, the Iranian under-18 girls’ team claimed silver after a narrow 15–14 loss to Chinese Taipei in the final. The team finished the tournament with seven wins and two losses, an impressive record in a debut appearance.

In kabaddi, both Iran’s girls’ and boys’ teams finished runners-up after losing to powerhouse India in the finals. The girls' team had previously defeated Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, making their silver medal a significant achievement in team history.

Praise and recognition

The athletes’ triumphs echoed far beyond the arenas of Manama, bringing joy to millions of people back home. Officials hailed the medal winners, especially female champions.

Ahead of the competition, during his meeting with sports and science medallists in Tehran, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei praised the youth’s success in both sports and sciences, calling it “unprecedented in our history.”

“You brought joy to the nation,” the Leader told the medalists. “In this era of soft war, your victories are doubly valuable. You countered attempts to demoralize our people and proved the brilliance of Iranian youth.”

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf hailed the girls’ handball victory as “a grand and glorious achievement that fills every Iranian heart with pride,” adding that Iran’s daughters “have shattered illusions” about women’s capabilities.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also congratulated the women athletes, saying their victories “herald a bright future for women’s sports in Iran” and will inspire future generations toward “growth, perseverance, and pride.”

Defining moment for Iranian sports

With 70 medals, including 25 golds, Iran’s performance at the 2025 Asian Youth Games was more than just a sporting triumph. It was a statement of resilience, unity, and potential.

The team finished the campaign in fourth position, jumping 16 positions from the last time.

It was a testament to the rising generation of Iranian athletes, especially girls, who proved in action that there are no limits to how far they can go.

They also silenced those who are bent on portraying Iranian and Muslim women as oppressed. The fact is that women in Iran are excelling in every field, including sports.

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