Sitting Volleyball Changed Masoumeh Zarei’s Life
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – To Masoumeh Zarei Barouti, a sitting volleyball athlete from Iran, the sport has been a life-changing experience.
In Hangzhou 2022, the Iranian team captured the silver medal in the women’s event, which was won by host China.
On the final competition day, Zarei and her team held a small birthday party for one of their players, and they took selfies with the Games mascot Feifei.
“Before I became an athlete, I isolated myself and I was at home all the time because of my disability,” Zarei Barouti told Paralympic.org. “But right after I became an athlete, my whole life changed.”
“People’s behavior toward me has changed since I became an athlete and people have learned that not everyone with a disability is weak,” she said.
“When I started out as a player, I was already 30 years old and of course I faced a lot of difficulties including injuries and increase in my age,” the player said. “I’ve been to two Paralympic Games, which was Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. During these Games, I felt joy and I felt even more affirmation for the sport.
“I will continue to pursue my dream with courage and determination. I will continue to fight to become a champion.”
Looking back at how far the sport has taken her, Zarei Barouti, the Iranian captain, hopes that more people with disabilities take up Para sports.
“People should follow their own goals themselves and choose one of the sports for people with disabilities. They need to follow it and I assure them that in the end, success will await (them),” Zarei Barouti added.