Female Iranian rowers have claimed a silver medal at the women’s double sculls competitions of the 19th edition of the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
On Saturday, on the opening day of the continental multi-sport event, Iran’s pair of Mahsa Javer and Zeinab Norouzi Tazeh Kand took part in the finale of women’s double sculls competitions at Fuyang Water Sports Centre and set the time of 7 minutes and 17.08 seconds to claim the second spot.
Rowers from the host nation clocked 13.67 seconds sooner to be crowned as the champion, and receive the gold medal.
Female Thai rowers stood on the third podium and pocketed the bronze.
The 19th edition of the Asian Games delayed a year due to China’s measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, will be the country’s biggest sporting event in more than a decade in several metrics, with approximately 12,000 athletes from 45 nations competing in 40 sports.
The Games will be held in 56 venues, out of which 12 have been newly built.
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and leaders from Cambodia, Kuwait, and Nepal were among the visiting dignitaries at the extravagant opening ceremony.
While the schedule includes the more traditional events such as athletics and swimming, it will also feature sepak takraw, or kick volleyball; kabaddi, a mixture of team tag and wrestling; and wushu, a martial art, reflecting Asia’s diverse sporting culture.
Meanwhile, e-sports, breakdancing, and sport climbing will be making their Games debut, in an effort to attract the interest of younger people.
