Morteza Mehrzadselakjani, known as Mehrzad, is now hoping to become a Paralympic champion for the third time
The second tallest man in the world has hopes of adding a third win to his roster at this year’s Paralympics, but has had to sleep on the floor in Paris, according to his coach.
Morteza Mehrzadselakjani, who is more better known as Mehrzad, is already a two-time Paralympic champion and hopes to become one a third time in Paris.
The Paralympian, who represents Iran in sitting volleyball, is 8ft 0.85in tall and is the tallest athlete to compete in the Paralympics.
Mehrzad giving his gold medal the obligatory bite after claiming victory in Tokyo in 2020 (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
He is known as a spiker in volleyball, an offensive position which attempts to hit the ball hard and fast towards the ground to try and score for their team.
Unfortunately one factor has meant that the highly successful sportsman has had to sleep on the floor during his stay in Paris.
At Tokyo Mehrzad had a special bed designed to accommodate his above-average height.
Unfortunately, his coach claims that this bed has not been provided in Paris meaning he has had to sleep on the floor.
Mehrzad is the tallest person to compete at the Paralympics (ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images)
Nonetheless, his coach has said that he is not letting this get in the way of a victory at the games.
Head coach Hadi Rezaeigarkani told Olympics.com: “He doesn’t have a special bed, but he has got the most important aim in his mind.
“It doesn’t matter for him whether he will lay on the floor or he’s not going to have enough to eat. He has the mind to become a champion.”
Mehrzad had a cycling accident as a teenager which means that growth in his right leg was limited.
He had already been diagnosed with a condition which accelerated growth in other parts of his body, meaning that his right leg is around six inches shorter than his left.
Mehrzad training with the Iranian sitting volleyball team (ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images)
The athlete debuted on the Paralympic team in 2016, telling the Iranian Paralympic committee: “Before I started playing sitting volleyball, people would look at me with open mouths.
“After joining the sport, and winning a gold medal at the Paralympics, people are now happy to meet me and take selfies!”
His coach said: “If you go back to Morteza when he was 12 years old, no one had any consideration for him, but when he became a sitting volleyball player, everyone, all around the world knows him and respects him.
“I would like to give you one sentence – I believe that each person has got potential in the world and we have to discover it.”
Featured Image Credit: Getty/DIMITAR DILKOFF/Getty/ATTA KENARE
