Francisca sets new record; Durand completes hat-trick of titles

Former wheelchair tennis player Francisca Mardones Sepulveda pulled off an emotional win for Chile’s first ever world record at a World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai on Tuesday.

Francisca, a two-time Paralympian in wheelchair tennis, throw the shot put to a distance of 8.19 metres for a historic world record in women’s F54 Shotput final. She broke the earlier record of China’s Liwan Yang (7.90) set in Beijing in 2016.

Russia’s Mariia’s Bogacheva took the silver with a season best throw of 7.64 metres, while Mexico’s Zarza Guadarrama settled for the bronze with 7.47m.

“A few days ago, I got the information from Chile that my dad passed away. I was in real grief but I took the decision to stay here and today I got a World record here. It’s the blessing from him from above,” said Francisca breaking down in tears remembering her father.

She added that winning wasn’t in her mind coming to Dubai. “I wanted to be a better person. So I came here to participate alongside the Paralympic champions.”

Meanwhile, four more world records were broken on the sixth day of competitions at Dubai Championships even as China continued to lead the medals table with 41 medals followed by Brazil (25) and Ukraine (19).

The evening session also saw Australian middle-distance specialist Madisson de Rozario beat a strong field that included China’s multiple-time Paralympic and world champion Zhou Hongzhuan for her first title with a championship record time here at the Dubai Club for People of Determination Stadium.

Rozario, the 25-year-old from Perth and a three-time silver medallist at the Paralympics, crossed the line in one minute and 52.15 seconds to finish ahead of Switzerland’s Catherine Debrunner (1:53.19) and Hongzhuan, who settled for the bronze 1:53.46 seconds.

“The race could’ve gone to anybody. There are so many strong women in there. There were three of us who at some point who have held the world record over the last three years,” said Rozario.

“Cat (Catherine) has proven that she is incredibly strong at the moment. I was definitely concerned about how annoying she’s out there at the front. I kind of waded and kicked and came around and then kept my head down and then got the race.”

The Rio Paralympics is one of the occasions when Rozario lost to Hongzhuan, with the latter getting a world record of one minute 47.45 seconds

“Hongzhuan is the one that I always, always struggle to deal with and she always seems a little bit better regards to the year I’ve had. So, it is an incredible field of women that we have right now. I am very happy to have overcome here today,” she added.

Cuban sprint queen Omara Durand, meanwhile, lifted her 11th World title and that too without losing in any of her finals. Omara clocked 23.57 to take the gold in women’s T12 finals to make it a hat-trick of titles here in Dubai.

She already has won the women’s 100m T12 finals and women’s 400m T12 in the last two days.

In women’s 200m T13 Ukrainian legend Leila Adzhametova ran in 24.35s to clinch her second gold after her 100m victory. She finished ahead of Rayane Soares da Silva (25.22) and Kim Crosby (25.26) in a thrilling race.

In the morning session, seasoned shot putter Assunta Legnante made it a double clinching her second gold medal in five days as two new world records were made on the sixth day of competitions here on Tuesday.

Legnante had already won the women’s shot put F12 on Friday and she carried momentum in women’s discus throw F11 and overcame China’s World record holder Liangmin Zhang (36.78) with a throw of 37.89m.

“I’m absolutely happy, it’s a medal that I was really strongly looking for. I hope that next year in Tokyo I will break the World Record,” said Legnante, who has now five world titles.

China’s Pengxiang Sun won the men’s javelin throw F41 with a new World Record throw of 44.35m. USA’s Brittni Mason (11.89) in women’s 100m T47 and Great Britain’s Sophie Hahn (12.38) in Women’s 100m T38 were the record breakers of the day.