BRADENTON, Fla. — As a fourth grade teacher at Bayshore Elementary, Michael Rostampour is dedicated to helping his students grow.

However, before he was a teacher, he was an olympian. 

What You Need To Know

  • Michael Rostampour is a fourth grade teacher at Bayshore Elementary School

  • Michael played basketball at the 2020 Olympics representing Iran

  • At the Paris Olympics, he worked as an assistant producer on video a segment called "The Athlete Moment"

“I got to see the pinnacle of athletics,” Rostampour said. “The joy that comes from it and also the sorrows from it.” 

Playing basketball at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, he represented Iran.

While his professional basketball days may be over, Rostampour said he still wanted to find a way to go to Paris. 

By applying to be an assistant producer with the Olympic Broadcasting Services, he got that chance.

“I was one out of maybe 20, out of thousands of Olympians to get this opportunity,” he said.  

It’s through his role that he helped produce a segment called “The Athlete Moment” — which Rostampour said helped bring athletes and their families together.

“We actually got a few gold medal winners to actually appear on that, whose family and friends could not attend,” Rostampour said. 

As a former Olympian, Rostampour knows better than most that there are only a handful of winners. 

By connecting athletes to the ones they love most, he helped create special moments, whether they won a medal or not. 

“We got grandparents on there that just weren’t physically able to come," he said. "You’re talking about bridging the gap that wasn’t there before.”

Whether it’s as an assistant producer or another role at the Olympics, Rostampour said he is hoping to take part in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and beyond.