Bahman Golbarnezhad facts for kids
Golbarnezhad in 2016
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Iranian |
| Born | 12 June 1968 Abadan, Iran |
| Died | 17 September 2016 (aged 48) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Sport | |
| Country | Iran |
| Sport | Track and road cycling |
| Disability class | C4 |
Bahman Golbarnezhad (Persian: بهمن گلبارنژاد, born June 12, 1968 – died September 17, 2016) was an Iranian Paralympic athlete. He was a talented racing cyclist and also a powerlifter. A powerlifter is someone who lifts very heavy weights. He competed in events for athletes with physical disabilities.
During his time as a powerlifter, he won many awards, including twelve gold medals and one silver medal in international competitions. Bahman represented Iran in two Summer Paralympic Games. First, he competed in London in 2012, and then again in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. He was the only cyclist from Iran at the 2016 Paralympics. He had also served in the Iran–Iraq war.
Sadly, on September 17, 2016, Bahman Golbarnezhad passed away in an accident. This happened during the men's C4-5 road cycling event at the 2016 Summer Paralympics.
Contents
Early Life and Sports Career
Bahman Golbarnezhad was born and grew up in Abadan, Iran. During the Iran–Iraq War, he moved to Shiraz. In 1988, he fought for Iran in the war. He lost his left leg when he stepped on a land mine, which is an explosive device hidden in the ground.
Three years after his injury, he began his professional sports journey. He first started as a wrestler, then moved to weightlifting. In his weightlifting career, he achieved great success, winning twelve gold medals and one silver medal. He later stopped weightlifting because of a shoulder injury.
In 2006, he started cycling. He worked hard and qualified for the 2012 London Paralympics in the same year. Bahman Golbarnezhad had one son.
Major Competitions
Bahman Golbarnezhad competed in several important cycling events at the Paralympics:
2012 Summer Paralympics
- DNF Men's road race C4-5: This means he started the race but did not complete it.
- 18th place in the Men's 1 km time trial C4-5.
2016 Summer Paralympics
- 14th place in the Men's time trial C4.
- DNF Men's road race C4-5: He did not finish this race.
His Passing
On September 17, 2016, during the men's C4-5 road cycling event at the 2016 Summer Paralympics, Bahman Golbarnezhad had an accident. He suffered a head injury when he crashed into a rock on a hilly part of the race course in Pontal, Rio de Janeiro.
Medical teams quickly treated him at the scene. He was being taken to the athletes' hospital when he sadly passed away from a cardiac arrest, which means his heart stopped. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), which is the world cycling body, announced they would investigate the accident. The Iranian Paralympic Committee also asked for a report on what happened.
Bahman Golbarnezhad's death was a very rare and sad event. It was the first time an athlete had passed away during an Olympic or Paralympic competition since the 1960 Summer Olympics.
After his passing, the flag of Iran was lowered to half-mast (halfway down the flagpole) in the Paralympic Village to show respect. A moment of silence was also held during the closing ceremony of the 2016 Summer Paralympics.
Reactions to His Passing
Many people shared their sadness and condolences after Bahman Golbarnezhad's death:
- Sir Philip Craven, the President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), said it was "truly heart-breaking news." He sent thoughts and condolences to Bahman's family, friends, and teammates.
- The Iranian Paralympic Committee stated that Bahman was an "exemplary Paralympic sportsman." They said he always tried his best to make Iran proud and that he gave his life for this.
- Carlos Arthur Nuzman, the president of the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee, called it "very sad news for sport."
- Brian Cookson, a cycling official, expressed his devastation and offered sincere condolences.
- Iranian president Hassan Rouhani also shared his sadness on Twitter, saying Bahman's death was "sad news for all of us."
- The Iranian men's national sitting volleyball team dedicated their gold medal win at the 2016 Summer Paralympics to Bahman Golbarnezhad's memory.
See also
In Spanish: Bahman Golbarnezhad para niños
- Olympic deaths
- List of cyclists with a cycling related death
