Dubai: China climbed to the top of medal standings and the hosts UAE bagged their first medal by the end of the third day of competition at the Dubai 2019 World Para Athletics Championships being held at the Dubai Club for People of Determination.
China has a total of 16 medals followed by Brazil (8) and the Ukraine (10) to occupy the top three positions on the medals table, while home favourite Mohammad Al Hammadi picked up a silver in the men’s 400-metre T34 finals.
Al Hammadi finished the race in 51.11 seconds to end behind Tunisia’s multiple-time Paralympic and World champion Walid Ktila (50.54s), while China’s Yang Wang came in third with a personal best of 52.84s.
Al Hammadi, who has a season’s best of 50.27s, was hopeful of better performances during the course of these Championships. “I still have the 100 metres and, hopefully, I can be at my best,” he said.
The highlight of the day, however, was eight new world records being set, led by a pair of Chinese, an Australian teenager and an Ukrainian. Yiting Shi broke the women’s 200-metre T36 on two occasions bettering her countrywoman Fang Wang’s mark during the morning heats and then returning with a new time of 28.21s in the final.
Australian teen Correy Anderson pulled off a surprise, breaking his own world record in his first World Championships when he hurled the javelin to a distance of 56.28 metres in the men’s F38 finals.
Ukraine’s Ihor Tsvietov was impressive with a new world mark of 23.04s in the men’s 200-metre T35, while Algeria’s Nassima Saifi hurled the discus to 35.76 metres for the gold and a new world record.
In men’s 400-metre T37 final, it was one-two podium finish for Russia with Andrei Vdovin bettering his own world record in 50.45 seconds ahead of compatriot Chermen Kobesov (50.97s). Earlier in the morning, New Zealand’s Lisa Adams dominated to win the women’s shotput F37 with a new world record throw of 14.80 metres.
Medals tally
(After Saturday’s edition)
Country Gold Silver Bronze Total
China 6 6 4 16
Brazil 4 2 2 8
Ukraine 3 3 4 10
Finland 3 0 0 3
Algeria 2 4 2 8
Great Britain 2 1 2 5
Australia 2 1 0 3
Tunisia 2 0 3 5
Bulgaria 2 0 0 2
Russia 1 6 5 12
New Zealand 1 2 0 3
USA 1 1 6 8
