He's 2.46 Meters Tall and Had to Do This to Sleep in the Olympic Village
At 2.46 meters tall, Morteza Mehrzadselakjani is not only the second tallest living man in the world but also a star in sitting volleyball. Despite a chronic illness and an accident that left him wheelchair-bound, Mehrzad has turned these adversities into the driving force that propels Iran towards Paralympic glory at Paris 2024.
This Thursday, the Paris Nord Arena was in awe of yet another unstoppable victory by the Iranian team, who defeated Germany 3-0 in the last group stage match of the Paralympic event. From the moment Morteza, Iran’s star player, entered the court, the atmosphere changed drastically. A reverent silence turned into cheers and waving flags as the team's number 2 executed blocks and spikes that seemed impossible to stop.
Despite his difficulties walking, which force him to enter the court by dragging himself, Mehrzad has proven that this apparent disadvantage is actually his greatest strength. "It was a great match; Morteza is a great player, one of the best. He has done a lot for the team and always tries to give his best," said Ali Kashfia, an Iranian sitting volleyball star and member of the national team’s coaching staff.
At the age of 16, he was diagnosed with acromegaly, a chronic condition that causes excessive growth hormone production in the body. That same year, he also suffered a fall while riding a bike, resulting in a severe injury. From that point on, and despite several surgeries, his right leg stopped growing and is about 15 centimeters shorter than the left, which forces him to use a wheelchair. These adversities led him to isolate himself, as he expressed, due to his disability, “I was very depressed.” “I felt like I was in a prison and was afraid to go out because of my appearance,” he adds.
His life changed when he was discovered by the coach of Iran’s national sitting volleyball team, Hadi Rezaei, on a reality show about people with physical disabilities and unusual talents. Since then, Mehrzad found in volleyball "a new reason to live."
No bed, but the dream of victory
Morteza faces an unexpected challenge at the Paralympic Games in Paris: the lack of a bed adapted to his extraordinary height. In Tokyo, he was provided with a special bed for his rest, but in Paris, he has had to settle for sleeping on the floor of the Olympic village. Despite this discomfort, his coach, Hadi Rezaeigarkani, told Olympics that "he doesn't mind lying on the floor or not eating until he's full. Anyway, he intends to become a champion."
Morteza Mehrzad, a double Olympic champion in Rio and Tokyo, is determined to achieve a historic golden treble at Paris 2024. As the Iranian team continues its journey towards the podium, all eyes are on this "giant," whose impact on Paralympic sport is as great as his height.
