World
World’s second tallest man has to sleep on floor at Paralympics
The world’s second tallest man is competing in the Paralympics – but he is so tall, he has to sleep on the floor.
Morteza Mehrzadselakjani, better known as Mehrzad, is 8ft 0.85in tall and a two-time Paralympic champion in sitting volleyball, representing Iran.
But even though he had a custom-made bed for the Tokyo Paralympics, he’s having to sleep on the floor in Paris, according to his coach.
“He doesn’t have a special bed, but he has got the most important aim in his mind,” head coach Hadi Rezaeigarkani told Olympics.com.
“It doesn’t matter for him whether he will lay on the floor or he’s not going to have enough to eat. He has the mind to become a champion.”
Iran has won seven of the nine tournaments they have competed at since their first try at Seoul 1988.
Mehrzad fends off a ball from Denys Bytchenko from Ukraine on 30 August. Pic: AP
A gold at Paris 2024 would be a hat-trick for Mehrzad who made his Paralympic debut in 2016, also becoming the tallest athlete to ever compete at a Paralympic Games.
Read more: Paralympics opening ceremony – in pictures
Coach Rezaeigarkani was the one who discovered him when the future athlete appeared on an Iranian reality TV show in 2011 to talk about the challenges he faces in everyday life.
A bicycle accident in Mehrzad’s teenage years resulted in an injured pelvis and stunted the growth of his right leg.
Mehrzad competing at the Tokyo Paralympics. File pic: AP
He had already been diagnosed with a condition that causes excess growth in parts of the body and his right leg is now about six inches shorter than his left leg.
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The shy 36-year-old athlete sometimes uses a wheelchair to move and spent five solitary years in his house, too embarrassed to come out.
“Before I started playing sitting volleyball, people would look at me with open mouths,” he told the Iranian Paralympic Committee after his debut in 2016.
“After joining the sport, and winning a gold medal at the Paralympics, people are now happy to meet me and take selfies!”
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His powerful spikes make Mehrzard formidable. Even when sitting down on the court, with his arms raised, Mehrzad is over six feet tall.
He was named the most valuable player and best spiker at Tokyo 2020, and best spiker at the 2022 world championships.
“If you go back to Morteza when he was 12 years old, no one had any consideration for him, but when he became a sitting volleyball player, everyone, all around the world knows him and respects him,” his coach said.
“I would like to give you one sentence – I believe that each person has got potential in the world and we have to discover it.”