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Handball, Basketball, Football Cast Listed

Handball, Basketball, Football Cast Listed
Handball, Basketball, Football Cast Listed

Handball, basketball and Football teams from Iran have learned about their rivals at the 2018 Asian Games slated for August 18-September 2, in Palembang and Jakarta, Indonesia.

The national men’s handball team shares Group A with Malaysia and Asian handball powerhouse Qatar which won its third Asian title in January at the 18th Asian Men’s Handball Championships in South Korea. Iran finished fifth at the event and will have a hard task to qualify from its group in the tournament, ISNA reported.

The best result at the Asian Games gained by Iran was the second place at 2010 Guangzhou and third place of 2006 Doha. Iran attended the World Handball Championships once in 2015 when it finished a poor 21st.

On the basketball front, Iran has more to say as the three times FIBA Asian Cup winner in 2007, 2009, and 2013 is in Group B with the Philippines, Syria and the UAE.

In 2007 Iran was placed in the “Group of Death” alongside China, the Philippines and Jordan. Iranians won all three group matches to make it to the next round on their way to the first FIBA Asian Cup title. The team has also one silver and three bronze medals from the Asian Games.

Despite the trophies at the Asian Cups and Games, Iran has not been successful in the World Cups and Olympic Games. The national basketball team currently is 25th in the FIBA World ranking with no Asian country before Iran.

The Philippines has much more to show compared to Iran. Bronze medal of FIBA World Cup in 1954, gold medals of Asian Championships in 1960, 1963, 1967, 1973 and 1985 as well as four gold medals at Asian Games in 1951, 1954, 1958 and 1962 make the Philippines a tough contender for Iran on the way to advance from group stage. However, the golden era of the Philippines goes back to the 1950s and 60s with Iran looming as the dominant team from Asia in recent times.

 Under-23 Football Team

The Under-23 football team of Iran will represent the nation at the Asian Games in Indonesia. It is drawn in Group F with North Korea, Saudi Arabia and Myanmar.

Iran U23 team represents the nation in international football competitions including Olympic Games, Asian Games and AFC U-22 Asian Cup.

With four gold medals in 1974, 1990, 1998, and 2002 Iran is the second successful team in the history of the Asian Games after South Korea which has the same number of gold medals but more silver and bronze compared to Iran.

 Volleyball Juniors

Iran will also send the junior volleyball roster to Jakarta.

Volleyball juniors have a place in Group B along with Mongolia and Pakistan. At the previous edition of the games in Incheon, South Korea, Iranian volleyball roster won the title. They also have three silvers in 1958, 1966, and 2010 Asian Games.  Iran sports delegation to the previous edition of the Asian Games in South Korea (2014) won 21 gold, 18 silver and 18 bronze medals resulting in the fifth place of the continental tournament after China, South Korea, Japan and Kazakhstan respectively.

 

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