Javanmardidodmani receives Allianz Best Female Athlete of the Month for September

Sareh Javanmardidomani has been voted by the public as the Allianz Best Female Athlete of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, completing a double victory for Iran as compatriot powerlifter Siamand Rahman received the Best Male honour last week.

Javanmardidomani made history by becoming Iran's first ever female gold medallist in Paralympic shooting, winning P2 (women's 10m air pistol SH1). The 31-year-old followed that up with a second gold in P4 (mixed 50m pistol SH1).

It was a close race in the public polls between Javanmardidomani (41 per cent) and Italian wheelchair fencer Beatrice Vio (38 per cent). US Para triathlete Grace Norman was third with 19 per cent of the votes. New Zealand swimmer Sophie Pascoe, Nigerian powerlifter Josephine Orji and Chinese swimmer Li Zhang were also nominated.

In lieu of the IPC Athlete of the Month award for September, the honour is being separated into three different categories – Best Male Athlete, Best Female Athlete and Best Team – based on results at Rio 2016.

The 2016 winners so far are:

January – Abdullah Sultan Alaryani, United Arab Emirates, shooting

February – Andrey Smirnov, Russia, wheelchair curling

March – Stephen McGuire, Great Britain, boccia

April – Carlos Serrano, Colombia, swimming

May – Shelby Watson, Great Britain, athletics

June – Elena Krawzow, Germany, swimming

July – Richard Whitehead, Great Britain, athletics

August – Ekrem Gundogdu, Turkey, goalball

September (Best Male) – Siamand Rahman, Iran, powerlifting

September (Best Female) – Sareh Javanmardidodmani, Iran, shooting