Iranian table tennis player Sheima Safaei captured a historic bronze medal at the Cappadocia Feeder Tournament in Turkey, marking the first time in history that Iran has reached the podium at this level of competition.
Iran NOC; Tehran: Safaei
impressed from the start, winning her group matches without defeat before
advancing through the knockout stages with victories over opponents from
Uzbekistan, Brazil, and the host nation, Turkey. In the quarterfinals, she
stunned Egypt’s Dina Mashref Said, the tournament’s second seed, in a five-set
thriller to secure her place among the top four. Although she was defeated in
the semifinals by Japan’s Asuka Sasao, Safaei concluded her campaign with a valuable
bronze medal for Iran. She was coached during the tournament by Meydia
Lotfollahnassabi.