TEHRAN - Iranian Paracanoe athlete Shahla Behrouzi Rad is optimistic about her performance in the 2024 Paralympic Games.

Behrouzi Rad, who started her career as a discus thrower, has represented Iran at the 2016 and 2020 Paralympic Games in Paracanoe.

Now, the Iranian female athlete is going to register a better record in Paris.

She advanced to Final A of the Women's KL3 in Tokyo and finished in seventh place with a time of 52.789.

“I am so happy to compete in the Paralympics for the third successive time. It’s a great honor to participate at the prestigious event like the Paralympics,” Behrouzi Rad said in an exclusive interview with Tehran Times.

“I have a difficult task ahead because athletes from Britain, France and Germany are favorites to win the medal but I will do my best to register a better record compared to my previous editions,” she said.

“I have trained well and I think I will be well-prepared until the Games. I would like to thank all who supported me over the past years,” the 38-year-old canoer stated.  

“As a woman, it will be a great honor to represent Iran in the Paralympic Games. I know that winning a medal in the sport is very hard but I just want to be myself in Paris,” Behrouzi Rad concluded.

Paracanoeing at the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris will take place at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium, it will also be the same venue that will host rowing.

This is the third appearance of the paracanoe in the Summer Paralympics. There will be five canoe sprint events for both men and women, three in kayak and two in va'a in each category.