Haider Ali became the first Pakistani to win a gold medal in the Paralympic Games on Friday.
Haider achieved the feat in the Men’s Discus Throw competition, heaving it at an impressive 55.26m distance to notch the gold medal.
His 55.26m throw is a personal best and is three metres longer than Mykola Zhabnyak’s throw, who finished in second place.
Haider Ali had competed in the long jump at the Paralympics, winning a silver medal in 2008 and a bronze medal in 2016.
It's #Gold for #PAK! F37 discus thrower Haider Ali wins his country's first medal of the Games!
His throw of 55.26m is a personal best and almost three metres longer than second place! #Tokyo2020 #Paralympics #ParaAthletics pic.twitter.com/SD3rO1qlaF
— Paralympic Games (@Paralympics) September 3, 2021
The athlete, who suffers from cerebral palsy, also competed in the discus throw at the World Para-Athletics Championship in Dubai in 2019 and won a silver medal for Pakistan.
Cerebral palsy is a disorder because of which one part of a person’s body becomes weakened as compared to other parts. All para-athletes with cerebral palsy participate in the F37 category.
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US Embassy in Pakistan congratulated the Pakistani player on making the history.
“Congratulations to Haider Ali for winning the first-ever Paralympic gold medal for Pakistan!” tweeted the embassy from its official account.
“Haider is used to creating history having secured Pakistani’s 1st Paralympic games medal (Silver) in 2008. Well done!”
Congratulations to Haider Ali for winning the first-ever Paralympic gold medal🏅for Pakistan🇵🇰! Haider is used to creating history having secured Pakistani's 1st Paralympic games medal (Silver) in 2008. Well done! #paraolympics #goldmedal #Tokyo2020 https://t.co/Fif6mumn9r
— U.S. Embassy Islamabad (@usembislamabad) September 3, 2021
Congratulations to Haider Ali for winning the first-ever Paralympic gold medal for Pakistan! #Paralympics #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/CgnmdnQyQ6
— PTI (@PTIofficial) September 3, 2021
Pakistan s Haider Ali all set to compete in Tokyo Paralympic Games tomorrow
