Olympic watch (2016 Rio news, qualifications, athletes)

[Irannn]

Thank you so much for these great informations!! Could you please do the same thing for Taekwondo and Weightlifting?

sure but there are some uncertainties in weightlifting , first we stll don't know our own squad and second it's not final if IWF banns Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus or not, if it happens that will change everything for some of our weightlifters. so let's start with Taekwondo

in taekwondo we already have the brackets, even though it's not final because even if one country changes the athlete and sends someone else it will change the whole bracket

58 Ashourzadeh, he is the best out there and #1 favorite but recently he wasn't as dominant as he was in early 2015. maybe he is a bit tired and maybe his opponents studied him very well. gold is not guaranteed (a year ago I would say gold is guaranteed for him) but he has a very good chance, in a 16-man bracket he has an easy first round, I believe he can go to the final if he wins his 2nd match against CHN or ESP, he had problems against both of them. there is an Israeli guy here who won't face Farzan before the semifinal. let's hope this guy can't win 2 matches. Farzan's main opponent is from Korea, their head to head record is 1-1. the Korean guy is in other side of the bracket and I expect him and Farzan to meet in the final. even though the Korean has to start with a very tough Thai opponent.

80 Khodabakhshi, the same as Farzan, he is not as dominant as he used to be, after an easy first round against Honduras, he will have his early final against Milad Beigi. a VERY talented Iranian now representing somewhere else , I believe that match will be 50-50. the winner will have a good chance to go to the final and put the loser in the repechage for bronze. I think Khodabakhshi has 2 serious rivals, Beigi and a guy from Ivory Coast, who is in the other side of the draw.

+80 Mardani, he will be ranked 2 and most probably will have an easy 1st round vs Tonga ! it's hard to know his next opponents because we don't know who will send Korea in this weight, Mardani won the 2015 final Grand Prix, he beat all of athletes in this weight almost once but he was never dominant like Farzan and Khodabakhshi, he has a chance for gold but his chance is not better than the others. there is a guy from Niger in this weight , quite unknown but to me he is the one to be worried about ! he beat Mardani in recent Greek tourney. beside him number 1 seed from Uzbekistan is also very good , but there are something like good 8-9 athletes in this weight all of them capable of winning the gold.

57 Alizadeh, unlike our male athletes, Kimia will have tough opponent in very 1st round. Zaninovic from Croatia, if she wins , next will be world #2 from Spain, Kimia beat most of these top athletes already. specially this Spanish girl, but Olympic is something else and there will be huge huge pressure on her shoulder , and she is too young. I think she will medal if she wins her first round match. even gold is not impossible for her but I will be happy even with a bronze. her main opponent Jade Jones of GBR is in other half of the table.

[_Navid_]

As someone who follows all of our athletes and also their rivals closely, I have to admit none of our wrestlers are #1 favorite for the gold in Rio. we have few chances for Gold but none of them are top favorite, here is what I think

I always enjoy reading your posts. You are not Mehdi Rostampour are you? Too much info for someone who is not a sport journalist.

[Irannn]

I always enjoy reading your posts. You are not Mehdi Rostampour are you? Too much info for someone who is not a sport journalist.

no I'm not. I just love following Olympic sports

[Narse]

thanks Irannn. Really cant wait for the Olympics! 2012 was really historical, cant believe still what happened back then! Iran was really great, absolutely outstanding. It was to good.

[Narse]

mirzajanpour will also miss olympics!

[_Navid_]

Why??

[Narse]

Why??

dont know, guess the coach knows the team better.

[ehsan singapore]

mirzajanpour will also miss olympics!

i am surprised, but i think the 4th one was the hardest to cut, as we could only bring 12 players to olympics,i think luzano felt they have enough attackers, in amir and shahram and dont need mirzajanpour and can bring more defenders so they can defend well also, i am just guessing

[Ab-Gosht]

wow so he picked sharifat and ghaemi over mirza thats a surprise

[_Navid_]

That news has been denied. Mirza is in the team.

[Narse]

That news has been denied. Mirza is in the team.

do you have a source? in the official FIVB he is not mentioned!

[_Navid_]

http://www.varzesh3.com/news/1340783...A7%D8%B3%D8%AA

[Ab-Gosht]

http://www.varzesh3.com/news/1340783...A7%D8%B3%D8%AA

if i remember 1 player has to be cut and sharifat would be the logic option since he's played the least amount. mirza would be not be a starter in olympics but he's a good option to throw in if u need energy

[_Navid_]

if i remember 1 player has to be cut and sharifat would be the logic option since he's played the least amount. mirza would be not be a starter in olympics but he's a good option to throw in if u need energy

Yes! 90% chance that Sharifat is the one being cut.

[IRAN300]

Guys let's clarify some points, we have to send a list of 12 players and based on the 13 man list it means 2 setters, 3 Middle-Blockers, 2 opposites, 4 receivers and 1 libero (what most teams do).
There was no race for setters and opposites (assuming they are not injured).
There was 1 place for libero between Marandi and Zarif, the former won.
Mousavi and Gholami are the 2 fix MB, one place remained between Sharifat and Tashakori. Both good but not on the starting players level, Tashakori is a good server but he is small when we really need height in this position, Sharifat is less good than Tashakori in block but he is reliable in attack, where we will need him the most so they picked him.

Now we have to pick 4 receivers, but with different injuries and recovering players it is a hard decision. The untouchable ones are Ghaemi, Ebadipour and Mirza, and then we have to pick one between Zarini, Manavinejad and Mobasheri. But, Ghaemi is only restarting trainings, Mirzajanpour seems not on his best shape and has been playing as #2 opposite since the middle of the OQT in Japan because of injuries in that position. Also Zarini is a very reliable player, very experienced but only his service is a big weakness. Then Manavinejad showed very good performances despite his young age in WL, he needs progress in reception but he is good on attack, they picked him over Mobasheri who is smaller and so better in reception but wasn't that reliable in attack.

Now, if no injury happen and Ghaemi looks ok for OG, they will have to pick 2 between Mirza, Zarini and Manavinejad.
My guess is Mirza is already in, and if Ghaemi is in shape too it will be Zarini who will fill the 4th recever post as Manavinejad is still young and Olympics is something different, and Mirza has the same profile as him plus much much much more experience and can play as opposite which is really important when you only have 12 players, for exemple France didn't selected their 2nd opposite Sidibe and took Rossart which is a receiver/opposite.
Of course if Ghafour and Ghaemi's situation change all these predictions will change too.