Four Asian Records Fall in Dubai, UAE

“I will give an even better performance at the Paralympic Games now. I felt very well before this competition and I believe I will perform very well at my next competitions too.”

Four Asian records fell on the third day of competition at the IPC Athletics Asia-Oceania Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Wednesday (9 March) as India clocked two on the track and Iran smashed two on the field.

 

India’s Anandan Gunasekaran looked in terrific form as he powered home to take the Asia-Oceania title in the men’s 400m T44 with a new Asian record.

 

The 28-year-old was suitably delighted with his performance as he stopped the clock at 54.67, nearly 10m clear of the rest of the field.

 

“I feel very good, and very proud to get a gold medal for India,” said a smiling Gunasekaran who achieved the qualification standard he needed to get to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games this year.

 

“I will give an even better performance at the Paralympic Games now. I felt very well before this competition and I believe I will perform very well at my next competitions too.”

 

Seemingly undaunted by the prospect of coming up against the world’s best at Rio 2016, he added:

 

“I will try, I will try to get under 50 seconds. I’ve been practising the 400m for only two months. Last month I ran 56 seconds and after one month’s hard work I have run 54.67. I have many more months to practice.”

 

India notched up their second Asian record on the track as Ramkaran Singh won the 5,000m T13.

 

The 25-year-old, who won 800m T13 silver two years ago at the Asian Para Games, took to the front at the half way mark and stretched his lead as he raced against the clock, finishing in 16:15.47 – more than 15 seconds faster than the previous Asian record set back in 2006.

 

Iran, who currently sit top of the medal standings alongside India, added to their impressive tally with a further two golds out in the field – and two new Asian records.

 

Nour Mohammad Arekhi (F11) smashed the regional best as he took gold in the men’s discus throw F11-13.

 

The 32-year-old added 3.53m on to the previous mark which had stood since 2002 with a fifth round throw of 35.16m (835 points).

 

Asian Para Games champion Mahnaz Amini Nogourani (F57) improved on her own Asian record in the women’s shot put (F56/57) throwing 8.10m (651 points) in the fourth round, to add a further 13 centimetres on to the mark she set in Tehran, Iran, last year.

 

Back on the track, Malaysia’s world and Asian Games champion Mohamad Ridzuan Mohamad Puzi never looked in doubt as he stormed home to gold in the men’s 100m T36.

 

The 18-year-old clocked 12.44 to take gold ahead of China’s Yifei Yang with Hong Kong, China’s Wing Sum Chan holding on to take the bronze medal position.

 

Kazakhstan’s Amanat Kalkayev came through strongly in the closing 50m of the men’s 100m T37 to get the better of Japan’s Nozumo Detohata and Saudi Arabia’s Saud Alwani.

 

Fastest out of the blocks, Detohata had looked to be in control - but he could not match the finishing speed of his track rivals and had to make do with bronze behind Alwani, with Kalkayev clocking 13.14 for gold.

 

There was gold for Japan in the men’s 800m T20 as early leader Yusuke Yamanouchi held off a challenge by Saudi Arabia’s Thamer Ahmed to take the tape in 2:02.36.

 

In the men’s 200m T13 victory went to China’s Wei Liu in 23.02.

 

Out in the field, two-time world champion Atsushi Yamamoto of Japan continued to dominate the men’s long jump T42 with victory in the T42/44 event. The 33-year-old managed a best of 6.05m (858 points) despite the damp and cool conditions.

 

“My performance was so-so. I am happy to be the winner but my distance wasn’t so good – but the conditions were bad for me, cold and wet – the same as Japan!” he said.

 

“I want to go to Rio and get the gold medal and maybe the world record there too.”

 

India’s world silver medallist Amit Kumar Kumar reached the top of the podium in Dubai as he took gold in the men’s club throw F31/32/51.

 

The 31-year-old did not quite reach the Asian record mark he set at the Worlds in Qatar last year but his second round attempt of 23.77m (824 points) still gave him a convincing victory over the rest of the field.

 

“I feel very proud to win the gold medal. My preparations continue for my next competitions and for Rio 2016. I didn’t like my performance that much but the weather was not perfect. I want to be better for my next event and my main focus is Brazil,” he said.

 

Saudia Arabia’s Hani Alnakhli (F33) won the men’s discus throw F33/34 on day one and he topped the podium once again, this time winning the javelin F33/34.

 

The 29-year-old only managed to register two of his six attempts but his fourth round effort of 18.74m (713 points) was enough to take the title.

 

“I won my second gold and I am very happy for that. This is good preparation for me for Brazil where I will do shot put,” he said.

 

Papa New Guinea’s Regina Edward also made it two out of two as she won gold in the women’s shot put F44 to add to the discus gold she won on Tuesday. The 26-year-old managed a best of 8.60m to secure the title.

 

It was a close contest in the men’s shot put F40/41 but it was Iraq’s WIldan Nukhailawi (F41) who took the win with a best of 11.15m (817 points).

 

“I am very happy to win, my main focus is the javelin, so I was happy to win gold here today,” he said.

 

China’s Hongmei Zhao got the better of a tough field including 2014 Asian Para Games champion Surang Khamsuk of Thailand to take the women’s javelin F46 title.

 

The 31-year-old consistently threw over the 34m mark and sealed the win with her third round effort of 37.94m, just 47cm shy of the Asian record she set when finishing fourth at London 2012.

 

Results are available online.

Competition continues on Thursday (10 March) at the Dubai Police Officer’s Club stadium.