Amir Hossein Zare, Zahra Kiani named Iran's best male, female sports personalities of the year

Wrestler Amir Hossein Zare and wushu athlete Zahra Kiani have been named Iran's top sports personalities of the Persian calendar year 1404 (March 2025-March 2026).

The duo received the prestigious titles during the annual "Champions of Iran" gala held on Sunday evening at the Tehran International Conference Center. 

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attended the high-profile ceremony alongside top sports and broadcasting officials to celebrate the country's athletic achievements. 

Public engagement reached a record high for the event this year, with over 10 million fans casting their votes to select the winners compared to 7.5 million last year.

Heavyweight freestyle wrestler Amir Hossein Zare secured the "Sportsman of the Year" award after an extraordinarily dominant run on the international mat during 1404. He captured the gold medal at the 2025 World Wrestling Championships in the 125 kg division. 

On the women's side, Zahra Kiani earned the "Sportswoman of the Year" honor following a historic, groundbreaking campaign. Kiani made history in September 2025 by winning Iran’s first-ever gold medal in women’s taolu at the 17th World Wushu Championships in Brazil, topping the Qiangshu form with a flawless performance.

The sporting federation that fostered much of this success was also recognized, with the Wrestling Federation taking home the "Best Sports Federation" award. This accolade follows an exceptional year where Iranian wrestlers consistently dominated world podiums. 

National freestyle wrestling head coach Pejman Dorostkar added to the sport's sweep by clinching the "Best Coach" award for guiding his squad to multiple international triumphs, including the stellar world championship run.

Beyond individual accolades, the collective prowess of Iranian indoor soccer was celebrated as the Men's National Futsal Team was named "Best Team" of the year. 

Meanwhile, the future of Iranian sports looked bright as young Olympic medal-winning taekwondo practitioner Mobina Nematzadeh was honored as the "Champion of Tomorrow."

The evening also highlighted deep humanitarian values and emotional tributes within the sporting community. Karate athlete Saleh Abazari received the prestigious Takhti Fair Play Award for selflessly giving his own gloves to a Saudi Arabian rival so the match could continue. 

In the para-sports domain, powerlifter Aliakbar Gharibshahi clinched the "Best Male Paralympic Athlete" title. His exceptional year was defined by a gold medal performance at the Cairo 2025 World Para Powerlifting Championships in October, where he shattered his own world record in the 107 kg category by bench-pressing an astonishing 255 kg.

The "Best Female Paralympic Athlete" honor went to sprinter Hajar Safarzadeh, who continued her stellar rise on the track. She secured a brilliant silver medal in the women’s 400m T12 final at the New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships, narrowly missing out on the top spot by a mere hundredth of a second.

Footballing moments also captured major spotlights during the ceremony, highlighted by international star Mehdi Taremi winning the "Best Goal" award for his goal against Uzbekistan. 

Rounding out the major football honors, retired veteran defender Behrouz Rahbarifar was presented with the prestigious "Honor of Sports" lifetime achievement award. 

Meanwhile, President Pezeshkian and the Sports Minister signed a jersey bearing the number 168 to honor the martyred children of the Minab school bombed by the US-Israeli coalition during their unprovoked aggression on Iran.

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