The World Archery Federation has highlighted the remarkable abilities of Iranian national para-archer Fatemeh Hemmati in a recent article on their website. The article praises Hemmati’s rapid rise in the sport and her potential for future success.
The World Archery Federation, in an article on its website, highlighted the abilities of Fatemeh Hemmati, the national para-archery athlete of our country.
The article states: “As the World Archery award nominations for 2024 were rolled out in December, there were ultimately names that archery fans around the world would’ve expected to see in the nine categories. Fatemeh Hemmati, however, nominated in the para women’s category, was a name before 2024 few outside of her country Iran knew of, and her rawness to the international stage will mean some still may not but there is plenty of reason to be aware of this prospect.“
Hemmati: A Natural Talent for Archery
She, who won two silver medals in the 2024 Paris Paralympics in the women’s individual compound and mixed team compound events, said: “I dedicated many hours to training, even in the extreme cold of my city. My expectation was to show my best performance. My family and coach were incredibly supportive, and I always had a winning mentality.”
Hemmati’s achievements in Paris are entirely worthy of this prestigious nomination, especially considering that the Paralympics was her third international event. Before that, she had participated in the Asian Cup in Baghdad and the World Ranking competitions in Nove Mesto in 2024.
Inspired by a Champion: Zahra Nemati
Hemmati started archery in 2017, but the successes she is achieving today can be traced back to an influential event that attracted many Iranian women and people with disabilities to this sport. That event was none other than the presence and three-time victory of Zahra Nemati in the Paralympics in the women’s recurve section, an athlete whose impact goes beyond the archery field and includes social activities in the field of women’s and people with disabilities’ rights.
In addition, Hemmati’s success in the Iranian national championships, which was broadcast on Iranian television, led her to change her path from shooting to archery.
Although their archery styles are different, Hemmati can continue her path as a student of Nemati, who is now the coach of the Iranian national team.
“It’s truly an honour to practice with a champion and legend like Zahra Nemati. I hadn’t worked with her before, but her presence in Paris was a huge help. She strongly supported and energised us throughout the competition. She was so inspiring to me; she is a legend in this field, and I hope we can make her proud.”
A Bright Future Awaits
Hemmati certainly made her new coach proud last summer, and Nemati now has an amazing talent to work with. Nemati, who was Iran’s flag bearer in the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, won her first Paralympic medal at the age of 27 in London 2012, while Hemmati won a medal in the Paralympics six years earlier, at the age of 21.
Equaling the record of the most honored Paralympic athlete in Iran is a difficult challenge, but Hemmati showed in 2024 that she has the technical skill and ability to do so, and her youth can also be an opportunity to go even beyond this record. Humility, intellectual maturity, and the ability to self-critique make Hemmati a remarkable athlete for the future.
Regarding her experiences last year, she says: “You don’t always get what you want, but sometimes something better awaits, even if things don’t go as you want, there is always a lesson to learn. I am very honored to be in this position and I thank God and my family, without their support, I would not be here.”
A Rising Star in the World of Archery
In the world of sports, it has often happened that emerging talents disappear quickly after a successful period. Various and uncontrollable variables can always affect the path of young athletes, but Hemmati, with a supportive family, a legendary coach, and intellectual maturity beyond her age, is in an ideal situation to continue her professional career.
Perhaps she will not win the 2024 World Paralympic Archery Award, but she can undoubtedly place herself among the greats of this sport and become one of the big names in the world of sports in the years to come.
From: world archery