ISLAMABAD: Athlete Haider Ali on Friday won a gold medal in the discus throw competition at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics Games and became the first Pakistani to do so.
Haider secured the gold medal with a throw of 55.26 metre, which also was his personal best score. Ukraine’s Mykola Zhabnyak scored 52.43 metre to come in the second place, according to Radio Pakistan.
Brazilian Joao Victor Teixeira de Souza Silva won bronze with a throw of 51.86 metre.
Celebrating his win, the athlete said the gold medal would be “very important” for para-sports in Pakistan since others would be able to see what can be achieved through hard work.
“I hope to be a role model for other people that have a disability [and who] don’t compete in sports to take part in para-sports,” he said.
Japan Ambassador to Pakistan Matsuda Kuninori extended congratulations to Haider Ali for showing his great talent by winning the gold medal and conveyed best wishes for his future endeavors.
“I am truly delighted to see Pakistani athlete’s success in the Tokyo Paralympics. My sincere congratulations to Haider Ali, his family and the people of Pakistan for this amazing success to achieve the gold medal. I believe that you [Haider] have made your country proud and won many hearts back home for your brilliant performance in the world’s mega event”, said the ambassador.
The United States Embassy in Islamabad also congratulated Haider for the win and said he was “used to creating history”.
Meanwhile, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry thanked the athlete for his win on Twitter. “We are proud of you,” he tweeted.
Ali — who hails from Gujranwala — suffers from cerebral palsy. This is not the first time he has won a medal at the Paralympics. However, his previous medals were for long jump.
He won a bronze medal at the Rio Paralympic Games in 2016 and a silver medal at the Beijing Paralympic Games in 2008.
