TEHRAN - Iran's chef de mission for the 2020 Paralympic Games Hadi Rezaei predicted Iran will improve performance in Tokyo.

Iran sent a record number of competitors to Rio 2016, being represented by 110 athletes in 12 sports.

The Iranian athletes won eight gold, nine silver and seven bronze medals and finished in 15th place.

Iran's best performance at the Paralympic Games since they made their debut at Seoul in 1988 was at London 2012 when they finished 11th with a total of 24 medals, including 10 gold.

Now, Rezaei predicts Iran will improve performance at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

“According to the survey, we can win 11 gold, 13 silver and 10 bronze medals in Tokyo. We’ve earned 34 quota places so far. We are going to send 103 athletes to Tokyo 2020 and winning medal is obviously at the top of our priorities,” he added.

“Around 3,000 reporters have registered to cover the Games and it shows that how important is the event. The 2016 Rio Paralympic Games were covered by 1,500 reporters,” Rezaei stated.  

 “Tokyo prepares for the biggest Paralympics yet. About 100,000 workers will take part in the telework trial program led by the government and the organizing committee of the Tokyo Games to reduce traffic congestion during the Games,” Rezaei said.

“Iran’s National Paralympic Committee is very supportive of athletes and some athletes will partake at the Paralympic Games to gain experience for the 2022 Asian para Games in Hangzhou, China,” he concluded.

The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games are set to be the biggest and best yet with around 4,400 Para athletes from more than 160 countries taking part in 22 sports.

Reporting by Masoud Hossein