From Cancer Survivor to National Champion: Western Mustang Arman Shahzadeh Competes at FISU

Arman Shahzadeh is a member of the national championship winning Western Mustangs Track & Field team, and is currently competing at FISU, the International University Sports Federation World University Games representing Canada and the Western Mustangs in the Long Jump competition. Shahzadeh has been preparing for this moment in his Mustang career since his early days.
 
Eight years ago, Arman Shahzadeh feared he would never run again while undergoing emergency treatment for aggressive throat cancer. Now, he is competing with the Canadian Track & Field team in the long jump at FISU, setting a personal best of 7.61m just a few days ago at the competition.



Shahzadeh was only 13 years old when he was diagnosed with cancer. A year after his surgery and his cancer going into remission, he saw a shift in motivation when he placed poorly in a provincial championship track meet in grade 9. Shahzadeh took that experience, and used it as a way to push himself harder than ever before.
 
He reflects on that moment as 'very humbling'. "My biggest goal at that point was to redeem myself." Shahzadeh said. "I remember [also] missing out on grade 10 and 11 due to Covid, so those three years I really put in a lot of work".
 
By grade 12 he placed first in that very same competition, marking a significant moment in his journey.
 
As a full-time student at Western University, Shahzadeh not only competes for the Western Mustangs - and was a part of the U SPORTS national championship winning Track & Field team in March 2025 winning an individual silver in his competition - but he is also studying for his LSAT, with the goal of one day becoming a lawyer.
 
When asked about how he balances everything, he states "it is challenging, you have to have efficiency with your time." His method for success is to recognize that "balance is not 50-50 its 100-100." Shahzadeh puts everything he has into each of his goals to achieve them.


 
Shahzadeh is not the only Western Mustang heading to the FISU world championships this summer; and he is excited that there are 11 other individuals on the Mustangs track and field team who are a part of the 50 track and field student-athletes representing Canada at the world championship. Twin Pursuit: Chloe and Sophie Coutts Push Each Other - at Western and at FISU - to New Heights - Western Mustangs Sports
 
He also reflected on teammates who have motivated him on this journey - two in particular being Josh Duckman and Aaron Thompson.
 
When Shahzadeh began at Western University he didn't believe there was a way for him to achieve his career goal of becoming a lawyer at the same time as being a great athlete. Seeing both of these teammates go through medical school while competing gave Shahzadeh a new perspective that anything was possible.



We are purple and proud of Shahzadeh's accomplishments and are cheering him on at FISU and beyond.