Sandeep, Sumit seal gold and silver with para world records

Indian ace Sandeep Chaudhary created world record en route to a gold medal in the F64 category of the javelin event at the World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai on Friday.

Doubling the joy for Indians, Sumit also created world record in the same category and bagged silver.

Sandeep hurled the javelin to a distance of 66.18m to better his own world record of 65.80m in F44 category, while Sumit sent the spear to a distance of 62.88m to clinch the silver and break his own F64 world record of 60.45m.

The F44 and F64 were clubbed into one combined event in this World Championships.

Ukraine’s Roman Novak, a F44 athlete, took the bronze with a best throw of 57.36m.

Meanwhile, Paralympic Committee of India Interim President Gursharan Singh who attended the opening ceremony Thursday evening was confident that the team will return home with more medals than London 2017.

The suspension on the PCI, he said, is unfortunate but that hasn’t affected the morale of the athletes and “they are pumped up and motivated to do well in this Championships.” “It’s critical time for Para-athletes in view of the Tokyo 2020 Games. Although we are very happy to have the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affiars’ and Sports Authority of India’s support for the Paralympic Movement.” “We are expecting at least eight medals here including more gold than last time (1 gold) and two world records. We have big hopes in Javelin and high jump that starts from today.” Singh was also hopeful that things will only get better from here on for PCI and Paralympic Movement in India, adding that NPC India is hopeful it can bid for major championships like World and Asian Championships, and the Asian Youth Para Games in the near future.

“We have already bidded for IPC Gathering in 2020. And we are very much confident that we can deliver a great Championships in future,” he informed.

“We hope that the suspension on PCI is lifted as per the best interests of Indian Para sport and its athletes.” He also said that NPC India isn’t dependent on any entity for funds which in anyway will be used for the infrastructure, trainings and foreign exposures of athletes.

Earllier, cebutant Rayane Soares da Silva of Brazil shocked Ukraine’s defending World Champion and Rio 2016 Paralympic medallist Leilia Adzhametova to clinch the women’s 400m T13 title at the Dubai Club for People of Determination.

“It was really tough because I was having a little bit of pain. I didn’t know that I was leading in the race, it starts to pain, my body, in the last metres of the race and the last 200m were the toughest. But I made it and I can’t believe it,” said the 22-year-old, who won with a personal best of 57.30.

Adzhametova’s life changed when in May 2016 she stunned then world champion Isle Hayes of South Africa. On Thursday, Adzhametova was on the receiving end as Soares Da Silva as the protagonist.

“I’m satisfied with how I made the race. I tried to show what my coach told to me and I tried to perform really well. I’m satisfied and really tired,” said a visibly dejected Adzhametova after settling for bronze clocking 57.55 seconds behind Portugal’s Carolina Duarte, who finished with a time of 57.46 seconds.

Australian Jaryd Clifford dreamt, believed and finally lived it breaking the world record en route clinching the men’s 1500m T13 gold on the opening day of the event.

Clifford, a bronze medallist at the London 2017 Championships, ran in 3:47.78 seconds surprising everyone including the favourite Abdellatif Baka, the Paralympic and World champion, who finished in 3:49.30 secs.

Russia’s Anton Kuliatin took the silver with a timing of 3:47.91secs. Russia is taking part in the World Championships for the first time in three years following the doping ban in 2016.

Clifford stayed ahead of the pack throughout even as Baka was close on his heels in the last 100 metres but it wasn’t enough. With today’s show, the Australian showed he has come a long way from being just a fresh-faced 17-year-old at Rio 2016 Paralympic to be the one to beat at the Tokyo 2020 Games.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Clifford, who targets double god in Tokyo 2020 now.

Earlier, Mattar Al Tayer, vice-president of Dubai Sports Council, opened the Championships after the colourful ceremony, in the presence of Thani Juma Berregad, Chairman of the Dubai Club for People of Determination, Mohammad Al Hameli, President of UAE National Paralympic Committee and Majid Al Usaimi, Championships Director.