Gurjar clinches javelin gold; Hammadi hands UAE second medal of Dubai event

Despite a niggling should injury, top Javelin thrower Sundar Singh Gurjar claimed the second gold for India with a season best performance at the Dubai 2019 World Para Athletics Championships on Sunday.

Meanwhile, UAE’s Mohammed Al Hammadi took his second medal at the championships – a bronze in men’s 100m T34 with a timing of 15,93 finishing behind Tunisian legend Walid Ktila (14.99) and Australian Rheed Mccracken (15.51).

“The medal has come as a surprise. I am very happy. I hope to do even better in my 800m T34 event,” he said.

Hammadi claimed the silver in men’s 400m T34 finals to give the hosts UAE its first medal on Saturday.

He finished the race in 51.11 seconds to end behind Ktila (50.54s). China’s Yang Wang was third with a personal best timing of 52.84s.

In doing so, Gurjar not only defended his London Worlds 2017 title here but also became the only second Indian to have clinched two World Championships medals after Devendra Jhajharia’s gold and silver in 2013 Lyon and 2015 Doha Championships.

Staying in the second place till his fifth attempt, Gurjar hurled the javelin to a distance of 61.22 metres in his sixth attempt, enough to jump to the top of the results table tumbling Sri Lanka’s Dinesh P Herath Mudiyanselage who led throughout with his 60.59m throw in the first attempt.

Ajeet Singh doubled the joy for India as he managed 59.46 metres to settle for the bronze. Compatriot Rinku Rinku took the fourth place with a throw of 57.59 metres. Thus, India secured three more slots for Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

Gursharan Singh, interim president of Paralympic Committee of India, congratulated the medallists and said: “Indian javelin throwers have always brought laurels to India. Today once again our players showed that they will be the ones to beat at Tokyo 2020. This also shows that we are on the right track.”

India now have two gold, one silver and a bronze from this Championships.

Meanwhile, five-time champion Hannah Cockroft smashed the women’s 100m T34 world record (16.77) to claim her 11th World Championships gold medal on Sunday.

Great Britian’s Cockroft produced a flawless display to finish ahead of her compatriot and captain Kare Adenegan at the Dubai 2019 World Para Athletics Championships.

Adenegan secured silver (17.49) while Alexa Kalko of US got bronze with 18.83.

The gold has given confidence to Hannah about the future, as she now is hoping for more surprises next year at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

“Now I’m a little bit confident for Tokyo but I don’t want to be too confident.”

The timing came a bit of surprise for Cockroft, who is nicknamed as ‘Hurricane’, as today she achieved her season and personal best timing, below 17 seconds.

“I haven’t dipped below 17 seconds ever in my career, not even in training, so I have no idea where that came from but I’m so pleased it did on race day.”

Speaking on the camaraderie and rivalry with her team-mate Kare, she added:

“Kare is the biggest rival I’ve ever had; she’s a fantastic athlete. It’s great that I’ve come out on top here but you know that can switch around at any time. I would have been happy with silver because I know Kare has been working hard and is strong, and was the world record holder.”

The men’s 100m T64 heats were not less than a final with South Africa Mpumelelo Mhlongo bettering his own world record in T44 category with a timing of 11.09 seconds while Germany’s Johannes Floors attained the world record in T64 category racing in 10.54 seconds. They compete in the finals tomorrow.

Among other top performers of the early session were: Ukraine’s Roman Danyliuk who bettered his own world record in men’s shot put F12 final with a throw of

Jordan’s Ahmad Hindi showed that he will be the man to beat in Shotput F34, getting a new world record to his name with a throw of 12.17 metres.

James Turner broke Mohammed Puzi’s world record in men’s 100m T36 finishing in 11.72 seconds. Puzi meanwhile took the bronze.

In women’s long jump T37, China’s Xiaoyan Wen bettered her own world record with a jump of 5.22 metres.

China extended their lead in the medals table to eight golds with two victories on Sunday morning. Lijuan Zou won the women’s javelin throw F34 (19.33) and Juan Yao the women’s discus throw F64 (38.78).

Uzbekistan secured the second gold medal in Dubai with Bobirjon Omonov  in the men’s shot put F41 (14.03).

The morning session also saw Germany’s Johannes Floors break the men’s 100m T62 world record in the heats (10.54).