Iran Wins More Medals in Asian Athletics Championships

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian athlete Hadi Sepehrzad bagged another gold medal for Iranian team in the 2011 Asian Athletics Championships in Kobe, Japan.
Hadi Sepehrzad won the country's first ever decathlon gold medal on Friday.

Sepehrzad overcame his Japanese opponent Akihiko Nakamura at the Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium to claim the title on Friday.

The Iranian decathlete topped the 19th edition of the continental showpiece with a total of 7,506 points ahead of Nakamura with 7,478 points and Bharatinder Singh from India with 7,358 points.

Another Iranian athlete in the event Mohammad Hossein Rabbani finished in eighth in the pole vault with a jump of 4.90 meters.

Sajjad Moradi also claimed a silver medal in the men's 1,500 meters with a time of 3:43.30.

Earlier on the opening day of the event on Thursday, Iranian Asian discus throw record-holder Ehsan Haddadi won a gold medal with a throw of 62 meters and 27 centimeters.

Another Iranian athlete in the competition Mahmoud Samimi managed to throw the discus 56.22 meters to stand in the fourth place.

The 2011 Asian Athletic Championships commenced on July 7 at the Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium in Kobe, Japan and is slated to close on July 10.

About 500 athletes from 40 countries are competing at the event which will finish on Sunday.