Iran Wins Its First Ever Asian Games Padel Medal in All Iranian Bronze Battle

Iran has its first ever Asian Games medal in padel. Farsad Shahi and Amirmohammad Jamshidi won the men's pairs bronze medal match in an all Iranian showdown, beating training partners Hami Golestani and Arya Roghani 6-3, 6-4 at the Nagoya City Higashi Sports Center.

A debut sport, a first medal

Padel made its first appearance at the Asian Games in Nagoya, part of the broader Aichi-Nagoya 2026 program, and the men's pairs draw ran from September 28 to October 3. Shahi and Jamshidi could not get past the eventual silver medalists in the semifinals, but they regrouped to see off their own countrymen in the third place match, giving Iran a podium finish in the sport's very first Asian Games edition.

Qatar takes gold, Malaysia settles for silver

The men's pairs title went to Qatar's Mashari Naif and Rashed Naif, who beat Malaysia's Christian Didier Chin and Aidan Khairuddin Yunus in the final. It capped a strong week for the Naif brothers, who were among the favorites heading into the competition.

What it means for Iran

A bronze in a brand new Olympic-style multi-sport event is a meaningful marker for a federation still building its padel base. Beating a fellow national pair for the medal also shows the depth Iran now has in the men's game, with four of its own players reaching the final four.

FAQ

More detail on how the medal was decided and what is next for the sport at the Games.