Teenage girls deliver powerful statement at Asian Youth Para Games in Dubai

Dubai: The future of Para sport has arrived. As the Dubai 2025 Asian Youth Para Games (AYPG) kicked off, teenage girls across multiple disciplines delivered a powerful statement through their performances.

The opening day at the Dubai Club for People of Determination Hall was electric. Young women lifters took to the stage with strength, courage, and ambition — many earning their first-ever international podium finish.

These athletes are more than medallists; they are the new face of women’s Para sport, inspiring a generation watching from the stands, from home, and across Asia.

At just 16, Mahdiyeh Ehsani burst onto the continental stage with a gold medal in the 45kg rookie category. Competing internationally for the first time, she balanced nerves with determination.

“I was really stressed and anxious,” she said, “but I trusted my coach. That trust carried me to a victory I had dreamed about countless times. I always imagined getting a medal before I went to sleep.”

The win was emotional not only for her, but for her entire team.

“I’m happy I could earn the medal for my country, and I’m excited that the rest of the team earned medals too.”

She dedicated the gold to the people who have supported her journey: “I want to dedicate it to my family.”

Another standout moment came from 18-year-old Zahra Pouladi Jarfi, who claimed gold in the 41kg NextGen category — marking Team Iran’s first gold of AYPG 2025.

“I am happy to earn the first gold medal for Iran,” she said. “I hope I can earn more medals in the future, take bigger steps, and bring pride to my country.”

Competing abroad for the first time added even more weight to her accomplishment.

“Considering the challenges and the heavy weight I lifted, this medal is the sweetest and most precious thing in my life.”

Her confidence on stage never wavered: “I had full confidence. My stress was low, and everything was okay.”

She also recalled her friends’ reactions when they learnt she’d be competing in Dubai:

“Every friend was happy and cheering for me. I wish that they, too, earn medals.”

With pride, she dedicated her medal to the person who has shaped her path:

“Today is World Mother’s Day, and I want to give my medal to my mother.”

Uzbekistan’s 16-year-old Sultonposhsha Bardieva made a remarkable international debut, winning gold in the 41kg Rookie category with a 55kg lift.

She admitted she “was very worried” during the competition, and that she didn’t imagine she would win an international medal at such a young age.

But her determination pushed her to the top of the podium.

She dedicated her medal to the people who believed in her most: “I want to dedicate this medal to my coach and my family.”