Tehran, Iran

Zahra is searching  
for more equity 

The Iranian athlete, Newfeel ambassador, breaks walls to fight for equality

Wanting to achieve! Zahra Jafarabadi’s everyday motto. « If you want something you can get it ! ». In Iran, like in many other places, there are a lot of obstacles for women. Obstacles to step over. « We have no particular everyday problems but there are rules to follow ! » she said smiling. This doesn’t stop her from having ideas and strong will power, she is an athlete who does walking at a high level.

Before Zahra, Iranian walking athletes could only walk 10 kilometers in competition. With Miss Jafarabadi, things have evolved. « I tried to prove we could do a series of 20 kilometers.» In 2018, her performance on this distance and her persistence helped convince the Federation. Women can walk 20 kilometers with men. The first victory for Zahra even if there are around 10 women to do a competition on her side. The first victory for Zahra even if there are around 10 women to do a competition on her side.

In Iran, Zahra has nothing to prove anymore. With the 20km walk and her record in 1h 54m 36s in Tehran on February 8th, 2020, national record of athletic walking. She is the easy winner at each competition. She would like to travel outside Iran to compete with other foreign athletes.« Diversity and equality exist in basic sports in Iran between men and women. But it becomes more complicated when it comes to high-level sports.» As opposed to men, Champions Women can only leave Iran if they are in the company of a man.

Zahra is a modern woman. The technical partner of Newfeel, very active on social media, would like people to know that women in Iran become emancipated. « I receive a lot of support, acknowledgments, and thank you messages ». An amplified movement as walking has become very popular in Iran.  She became the image of athletic Walking. Her followers (more than 10 000 on Instagram) love her pictures of her training sessions in Tehran parks, or her vidéos, during lockdown: « Many women got great confidence practicing sports at home during this time». Zahra is a sports psychology teacher at university, a sports coach, and gives some athletism lessons. « I don’t earn any money practicing Athletic walking». Even if she denies being a feminist, Zahra regrets so few women in Iran follow her example: « They are very few to follow my example, no more than 10». It is time to carry on communicating with Zahra.

July 2020

Equity women-men in world sports?
There is so much to do!

NEWFEEL

Newfeel: the brand for walking fanatics! Its aim? To give people the best possible experiences, whether they’re power walking, Nordic walking or race walking, by means of innovative equipment (shoes, poles, digital devices, etc.) and expert advice.