Hosts UAE put on impressive show winning a total of 20 medals
DUBAI, 13th March: Iran dominated the podium with a rich haul of 40 medals in the first ever IPC Athletics Asia-Oceania Championships Dubai 2016 which came to a successful conclusion on Saturday 12th March at Dubai Police Officers Club in Jadaf.
Iran topped the final medals table with a total of 23 gold, 10 silver and 7 bronze. China finished second with 16 gold, 9 silver and 5 bronze. India (12-10-9) were third and Japan (8-6-11) finished in fourth place.
Hosts UAE took the fifth spot by securing a total of 20 medals including six gold, nine silver and five bronze medals in the inaugural IPC Athletics Asia-Oceania Championship held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council (DSC).
The IPC Athletics Asia-Oceania Championships was organized and supervised by the Dubai Club for the Disabled with the support of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the General Authority for Youth and Sports Welfare, the DSC and the UAE Paralympic Committee.
The Official Sponsors of this Championship were as follows: Hamdan Bin Mohamed Heritage Center (HHC), Al Maktoum Foundation, Sheikha Maitha Centre for People with Special Needs, Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Falcon City, Dubai Municipality, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation, BMW and Dubai Investments. Dubai Sports TV is the media partner.
DSC secretary general Saeed Hareb lauded the organization of the Championships and saluted the heroic efforts of the UAE athletes for bringing glory to the nation.
“I’m proud about what I saw today. Everything was perfect from the organizational side which was carried out in a professional manner. The number of medals won by UAE showed these athletes have lot of will power to face any challenge. They haved proved that they are producing more results than what normal athletes get in the international arena. We should be fully supportive for this group of people because they deserve it because they give you back as much as you give them support with great performances. I’m happy with what I saw today,” said Hareb who was on hand to witness the thrilling men’s 400m T54 final featuring the youngest competitor in the Championship 17-year-old Salem Al Shehhi of the UAE.
Having bagged gold in the 100m and 200m, Salem who has qualified for the Rio Paralympics in the sprint, was on course to complete a hat-trick but for a strong finish by Japan’s Yuki Nishi.
Salem was the early leader but the 22-year-old Japanese powered home in the final 50 metres clocking a winning time 51.27 to edge the plucky Emirati.
UAE produced the individual star of the Championships as world silver medallist Mohamed Hammadi was the only athlete to bag four gold medals in the Championships in men's 100m, 200m, ,400m and 800m T34 categories to boost his preparations for the Rio Games.
Ahmad Ojaghlou stole the limelight on the sixth and final day of the competition in Dubai by completing a treble with victory in the 400m T47.
The 28-year-old (50.09) held off a strong challenge from India’s Sandeep Singh (50.67) to add another gold to his 100m and 200m T47 wins.
“I am so happy I won three gold medals, I have the best times ever,” said Ojaghlou delighted that his hard work has produced results for himself and for country.
Arash Khosravi notched up his second gold in Dubai with a spectacular finish in the men’s 200m T11.
“I really want to break the Asian record so I can go to Brazil. Like any person I love my country and it is important for me to put the flag of my own country higher and higher,” said the 22-year-old clocked a winning time of 24.64 pulling clear of Indonesia’s Abdul Halim Dalimunte with less than 10 metres to go.
Iran’s insatiable appetite for success was seen in the final event of the day when Ali Elahi won the men’s 1,500m T13 final after his Indian rival Ramkaran Singh was disqualified.
Singh had won the 5000m title earlier by setting an Asian record but his joy of a golden double was shortlived after Elahi howled in protest that he was impeded by the Indian. Elahi was subsequently adjudged the winner in a time of
4:20.36.
Iran’s Alireza Hemami Mokhtari (F53) won the men’s discus throw F51-53 with a best of 22.71m (843 points) to upset India’s discus throw F51 Asian record holder Amit Kumar.
“I think my performance is okay. I have not performed very well but every player has ups and downs,” said Kumar who has qualified for Rio in club throw.
India also excelled in the field as Varun Singh Bhati (T42) set a new Asian record in the high jump T42-47, clearing 1.82m (996 points), bringing the grand total of new marks to 16 in the Championship.
His compatriot Arvind (F37) clinched gold in the men’s discus throw F37/38, with a final throw of 45.34m (840 points).
Mahdi Asghari (T42) made it a total of 16 golds out in the field for Iran over the six days of competition as he won the shot put F42/44 with 11.60m (642 points).
China won three gold medals on the final day through reigning Paralympic champion and world record holder Pengkai Zhu (F12)whose throw of 57.69m (898 points) secured him the men’s javelin F11-13 title.
Juntingxian Jia (T11) and Daqing Zhu (T12) also added to China’s medal tally, winning the women’s 200m T11 (26.18) and 200m T12 (26.19) respectively.
Kuwait’s Hamad Aladwani completed a golden treble on the track with an emphatic win in the men’s 400m T53 powering home in 54.28.
Sri Lanka’s golden girl Amara Indumathi Lallwala Palliyagurunnanselage clinched a double with an impressive victory in the women’s 200m T44/47 in 27.89, while India’s Anvil Kumar struck gold victory in the men’s 400m T13 clocking 53.98.
“I’m happy to come to Dubai and to win two gold medals in the first Asia-Oceania Championship. It is a big achievement in my life. I was confident of winning after the training and guidance I received from my coach,” said the 30-year old who has qualified to Rio after winning the 400m T47 in Dubai.
