Maryam Abdollahpour Deroei

Reason: "Taekwondo was the first sport that I started as a child. I remember at the first competition I entered in Bandar-e Anzali [in the Islamic Republic of Iran], I did not get a medal. At that moment I really disliked taekwondo and I wanted to give up. But with the encouragement of my family and my coach, I participated in a second competition and won silver, and then gold. It was then that I became interested in this sport and wanted to pursue it professionally." (newspaper.hamshahrionline.ir, 18 May 2023) Ambition: To win a gold medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (Instagram profile, 11 Jan 2024)