Birthdate

Sport(s)

Goalball

Hometown

Vancouver, BC

Classification

Maryam Salehizadeh wears number one and plays the position of right wing for the Canadian women’s goalball team. She has been a member of the team since 2019 and made her Canadian debut at the 2019 Parapan Am Games in Lima, Peru. 

The team secured a spot for the 2020 Paralympic Games when China defeated South Korea in the semifinals at the Asia-Pacific Championships in Chiba, Japan in December 2019.

Salehizadeh was born in Tehran, Iran. She was born visually impaired and began playing goalball at her high school in Tehran. Salehizadeh joined Iran’s first ever national women’s goalball team and played with the team for 10 years. In addition, she also coached high school goalball in Tehran for seven years. Salehizadeh was known to be one of the best athletes in Iran and was named “Best Offensive” player at the 2010 and 2014 Asian Para Games. 

Salehizadeh has always had a burning desire to compete in goalball at the highest level internationally, however living in Iran made that dream impossible. In 2016, Salehizadeh made the decision to pursue her athletic desires and immigrate to Vancouver, Canada as a refugee. In 2019 she became a permanent resident of Canada allowing her to join the Canadian women’s goalball team.  

Salehizadeh has a bachelor’s degree in physical education and sports management from the University of Tehran. She is currently studying English at Vancouver Community College and hopes to pursue a career as either an ESL teacher or a settlement worker. 

goalball

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Bronze at the 2019 Parapan Am Games… Member of the Canadian women’s goalball team since 2019… Member of Team British Columbia… Member of the Iranian women’s goalball team for 10 years… Named “Best Offensive Player” in 2010 and 2014 at the Asian Para Games while playing for Iran… Goalball teacher for seven years in Tehran, Iran...

PERSONAL

Speaks Farsi… Lives with her brother in Vancouver… Studying English at Vancouver Community College… Hopes to pursue a career as either an ESL teacher or a settlement worker… Loves music, books and studying… Has a bachelor degree in physical education and sports management from Tehran University… Moved from Iran to Vancouver in 2016 as a refugee to pursue athletic goals… Discovered goalball in high school in Tehran… Born visually impaired…

NOTABLE INTERNATIONAL RESULTS

  • 2019 Parapan American Games 3rd 
Year Type
Host City
Medals
2020 Summer
Tokyo, Japan
2019 Parapan am Games
Lima, Peru