PARTOAZAR Faranak

General
EARLY DAYS
She initially gave up cycling at age nine and switched to indoor sports including basketball, volleyball, martial arts, and chess. She returned to cycling at age 20 and began competing at a provincial event in Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran. "In the past, women in Iran have been banned from cycling. My struggle with conservative minds and a conservative culture is the hardest thing I have ever faced in my life. I had childhood dreams about cycling. I used to hear about men and women cycling around the world. This idea of getting to know other countries and cultures has always tempted me. That's why I could never forget my bike altogether. Like most days, I was out cycling. A gentleman on a bicycle told me a province-wide cycling competition was going to be held in Shiraz, and invited me to sign up. I did not have a professional bicycle, but my goal was not to race but to learn the techniques of the sport. On my very simple bicycle, I came third. When they saw what I was capable of, the province's cycling board encouraged me to pursue the sport professionally." (TEDx Talks YouTube channel, 22 Nov 2022; Vittoria YouTube channel, 14 Sep 2022; iranwire, 15 Oct 2021)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
In 2022 she was elected manager of the athletes' committee of the Cycling Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran. (Pump for Peace Instagram profile, 28 Oct 2022)

FURTHER EDUCATION
In 2020 she graduated with a master's degree in structural engineering from Shiraz University in the Islamic Republic of Iran. (LinkedIn profile, 01 Oct 2022; Facebook page, 19 Nov 2020)

She became the first female mountain biker to represent the Islamic Republic of Iran at the Asian Games when she competed at the 2018 Games in Indonesia. (SportsDeskOnline, 04 Jan 2023; Facebook page, 22 Aug 2020)