Sports News Roundup

Tehran, July 23, IRNA – Iran’s sports experienced different results internationally last week, the vice-championship title gained in the Asian Karate Championship figuring prominently. At the end of the competitions, held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Iran’s karate team won 11 gold, 7 silver and 16 bronze medals, standing second. Japan, pocketing 17 gold, five silver and five bronze medals, stood champion. The 11th Asian Karate Championships was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, with 254 karatekas from 26 countries participating in it. **Iran’s Footsal Team ranked 7th in the World Footsal Teams’ ranking table. No change observed in the ranking compared to the previous month. The Iranian National Footsal Team, winning 1,550 scores, is still atop the Asian Footsal Teams followed by Japan and Thailand. Spain is still atop the world top teams and Brazil and Italy reserved the second and third ranks respectively. **The Iranian National Football Team will face Tunisia at Hungary’s preparation camp. **Brazil Wushu Federation officials attempt to recruit Farhad Fathi, a renowned Iranian wushu coach. Fathi, who was already active in National Canadian Team, says is interested to continue coaching experience in Iran. He says he would think on Brazilians’ offer if failing to reach agreement with Iranian Wushu Federation officials. **Iran’s National Kata Team overpowered Indonesia 5-0 in the finals and gained gold medal of the Asian Championships. **Iran’s National Deaf Football Team, as a representative of Asia, defeated Russia 3-2 and led its way to the semifinals in the 2nd World Deaf Football Cup, held in Ankara, Turkey. Iranian team had in the first round defeated Venezuela 8-0 and in the second round ended in draw with the Ukrainian team. **Iran’s Junior Waterpolo Team was placed in Group C of the World under-18 Waterpolo Championship Competitions, due to be held in Spain from December 1-9, 2012. Brasilia, the US, and Colombia are in the same group with Iran. **Iran’s National Volleyball Team failed in a match with Russian national and Olympic teams. Iran had in the first round trounced Russia 3-2 and in the second round 3-1. In the Polish International Wagner Cup defeated Poland and Argentina 3-1 and 3-2 respectively. **Zanjan Wushu Top Team finished champion, followed by China and Tehran’s Naft Team in the 4th International Pars Cup Competitions, participated by 180 wushuists from 19 countries. **Iran’s Pupils Footsal Team won over Brazil, standing first in the under-17 Croatia International Competitions. The Iranian team scored six to defeat its three rivals in the final round of the competitions, held in Zagreb. **Iran’s three-man marksmanship team, as the first group of athletes dispatched to the London 2012 Olympics, arrived in Germany on Sunday on their way to London to take their arms. The Iranian shooters will be on the fire line on July 28. **Striking a delicate balance between explosive power, speed and fluid technique, Iran's top super heavyweight weightlifter is expected to lift the equivalent of two baby elephants' worth of steel above his head to claim gold at the London Olympics. **Continuing Iran's legacy of heavyweight lifters, 22-year-old Behdad Salimikordasiabi is the heart of Iran's six-strong squad expected to encounter stiff competition from Germany and Russia to win medals in the men's heavier weight divisions, according to Reuters. Salimi set a world record at the 2011 World Championships in Paris by lifting 214 kilograms in the first of two lifts to confirm his reputation as the dominant force in the over 105kg category./end