WANA (Dec 14) – The fifth edition of the Asian Youth Para Games, hosted by the United Arab Emirates, has come to an end, with Iran finishing in second place after winning a total of 262 medals. This result marks a one-position drop compared to the previous edition of the Games.

 

The competitions were held in Dubai, where Iran secured 76 gold, 96 silver, and 88 bronze medals, finishing with 262 medals overall. Uzbekistan claimed the top spot in the medal table, pulling ahead with a clear advantage in gold medals. The Uzbek team won 99 gold, 57 silver, and 41 bronze medals, totaling 197 medals. Japan finished third with 40 gold, 25 silver, and 12 bronze medals, for an overall tally of 77 medals.

 

Iran’s delegation competed against athletes from 34 Asian countries and consisted of 194 athletes across 21 sports disciplines, including 11 men’s events and 10 women’s events. This made Iran one of the largest delegations at the Games.

Two Gold Medals for Iran’s Girls in a Brilliant Start at the Asian Para Youth Games. Social media / WANA News Agency

Two Gold Medals for Iran’s Girls in a Brilliant Start at the Asian Para Youth Games. Social media / WANA News Agency

A comparison with the previous edition of the Asian Youth Para Games in Bahrain in 2021 highlights a notable shift. Iran had claimed the championship title in that edition with 145 athletes and 144 medals. However, at the 2025 Games in the UAE, despite a significant increase in the total number of medals, Iran ceded the top position to Uzbekistan. This outcome underscored the decisive role of gold medals, rather than the overall medal count, in determining final standings.

 

From a technical perspective, Iran’s strongest performances came in para swimming and para athletics. Para swimming accounted for 104 medals, while para athletics delivered 82 medals, making these two sports the backbone of Iran’s success at the Games. The figures suggest that Iran’s continued investment in these disciplines has remained highly productive.