Iran’s Paris 2024 Paralympic Games campaign gains momentum as their fourth stage of the men’s sitting volleyball national team’s preparation camp is set to take place from April 29 to May 6 in Tabriz. This stage of the preparation camp serves as a pivotal moment for their athletes ahead of the upcoming quadrennial, where they will be defending their title as Paralympic champions. Under the guidance of head coach Hadi Rezaei, alongside Jalil Imri, Hassan Mohammadi and Hadi Sajdnia, a formidable roster of players is set to undergo intensive training. Sadegh Bigdeli, Hamidreza Abbasi, Mehdi Ba ..read more

With just over 100 days to go until the 2024 Paris Paralympics, excitement is building in Colorado Springs. Team USA’s sitting volleyball squad, which won gold at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, is gearing up for another shot at glory. This past weekend, athletes from all over the country came together for a training camp. One player to watch is Katie Holloway Bridge. She’s a star of the team and was named MVP at the last Paralympics. Holloway Bridge, whose foot was amputated at a young age, shared her inspiring journey. “Because I grew up in a small town, I knew nothing different than playing able-b ..read more

The 2024 WPV Sitting Volleyball Final Paralympics Qualifiers for Men and Women, presented by Delin Company, has concluded, with Slovenia and Ukraine emerging victorious in the final round and earning their tickets to the upcoming Paralympic Games in Paris. Slovenia’s journey from Dali to Paris was nothing short of spectacular, culminating in a heart-stopping 3-2 (25-13, 11-25, 25-22, 23-25, 15-13) victory over Iran in the women’s final. Valentyna Brik’s brave showing on their final match of the tournament helped Slovenia showcase their dominance in their unbeaten run. “It was an extremely tou ..read more

Denys Bytchenko and Roman Pryshchepa led Ukraine exact sweet revenge in a captivating men’s final showdown against the United States in the 2024 WPV Sitting Volleyball Final Paralympics Qualifier, presented by Delin Company, with a scoreline of 3-0 (25-17, 32-30, 25-18) at the Dali International Olympic Sports Centre on Wednesday. After suffering a narrow defeat to USA in the preliminary round, Bytchenko and Pryshchepa teamed up for the big comeback, helping their team clinch the men’s final ticket to the Paralympic Games in Paris, joining hosts France, Iran, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Bosnia and Herz ..read more

Valentyna Brik’s dazzling display of offence guided Slovenia to an epic 3-2 (25-13, 11-25, 25-22, 23-25, 15-13) victory over Iran in the women’s final of the 2024 WPV Sitting Volleyball Paralympics Qualifier Final, Presented by Delin Company, at Dali International Olympic Sports Centre on Wednesday. The European powerhouse clinched the last ticket to the Paris Paralympic Games, joining hosts France, Brazil, Rwanda, China, Italy, United States and Canada. In the riveting final showdown, Slovenia surged ahead in the opening set, showcasing their precision attacks and impenetrable defence led by ..read more

Iran coach Hadi Rezaei is one that carries the significance of the weight of unparalleled success and dedication. His signature is his consistency and his body of work that is the envy of many. He is often described as a man of few words whose actions on and off the court speaks volumes, crafting a legacy that transcends bounds and inspires generations. Born on December 10, 1960, in the city of Mashhad, Rezaei started his voyage that would etch his name in the history of sporting greatness. As an Iranian sitting volleyball coach and former player, he boasts a career adorned with world and Pa ..read more

In this second part of the Q&A with Japan sitting volleyball athlete Yoshihiro Iikura, who participated at the Tokyo Paralympics, he talks about his approach to his goals, his bond with his family, and his dreams for the future. Starting with the motivation that “there might be a chance” for someone inexperienced in sitting volleyball to go to the Tokyo Paralympics, Iikura worked on levelling up through individual practice. “As it happened during the COVID-19 pandemic, there were no practice facilities available. Members who were practising together in Kansai rented a cabin deep in the mou ..read more

Explore the story of Japan’s sitting volleyball athlete Yoshihiro Iikura, a late bloomer in the world of Para sports, as he fulfils his dream of another Paralympic participation. After losing his left leg in a workplace accident at the age of 25, Iikura discovered his passion for sports at the age of 40, initially engaging in amputee soccer before transitioning to sitting volleyball and achieving his dream of participating in the Tokyo Paralympics at the age of 46. In this first part of the Q&A with GROWING, Iikura shared the words of encouragement from his mother that helped him overcom ..read more

In sitting volleyball’s colourful world, where skill, strategy and sheer resilience converge, one of the tacticians that resonates profoundly is Dr. Mosaad Elaiuty. With his years of experience and passion for the discipline, he has not only steered Egypt to Paralympic success but is now weaving his magic with the men’s and women’s teams of Rwanda. Dr. Mosaad Elaiuty at the 2022 World ParaVolley Sitting Volleyball World Championships in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Reflecting on his remarkable career, Elaiuty shared insights gleaned over 15 years of dedicated service to the sport – all wi ..read more

The IPC, together with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), is launching the e-course ‘ADEL for Paris 2024 Paralympics’. Designed specifically for athletes, coaches and other support personnel participating in this year’s Paralympic Games, it follows the success of the first anti-doping e-learning courses introduced in 2021 and 2022. ADEL for Paris 2024 Paralympics is a 45-minute online course that will help ensure athletes, coaches and support personnel arrive in Paris armed with the knowledge they need to compete clean. It provides an overview of the anti-doping programme at the Paris 2024 P ..read more