TEHRAN – Abolfazl Nasri, who turned nine today, has a bright future ahead. He is full of promise.

He was born without lower legs but the congenital disorder cannot stop Abolfazl and his family encouraged him to keep going.

The video went viral on social media, showing him to climb a rope at his home.

“We never bought a wheelchair for him. We wanted Abolfazl to stand on his own knees,” Abolfazl’s father Ali says.

“We have a long-term plan for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics where Abolfazl will be 18.”

He was invited to Iran’s National Paralympic Committee on Monday and visited the Olympics Museum. He first became acquainted with Paralympic movement and was also awarded a mascot.

“I like swimming, sitting volleyball, football and archery,” Abolfazl says while looking at medals and Paralympics’ torches at the museum.

He lives in Province of Qazvin, northwest of Tehran, where a lack of proper infrastructure in the area can be problematic for him.

“We have a short-term and a long-term plan for Abolfazl. At the moment, we are supportive of him since he is a child. In the future, he will be involved at professional sport. We are looking for 2028 Paralympics,” the father said.

Iran has introduced great Paralympians in the past years. Ghader Modabber is the most decorated Iranian para athlete with five gold medals.

Mokhtar Nourafshan and Mohammadreza Mirzaei (athletic) and Ali Kashfia (sitting volleyball) have each won four gold medals in the past years.

In the recent years, powerlifter Siamand Rahman, shooter Sareh Javanmardi, archer Zahra Nemati, and sitting volleyball player Morteza Mehrzad have been in the spotlight and are role models for the children with disabilities.

“I like participate at Olympics and Paralympics but I have to grow up,” Abolfazl smiles.

Reporting by Masoud Hossein