Men’s discus F33 world record smashed at Tunis Grand Prix

Saudi Arabia’s Hani Alnakhli smashed his own men’s discus F33 world record on Thursday (13 April), the first day of the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Tunis, Tunisia.

The Asian Games champion, who won silver in this event at London 2012, threw 30.09m to add 59cm to his previous best set at this same event in 2015.

Alnakhli was not the only record breaker on the first day of competition as three African records also fell in the field.

Much to the delight of the home crowd Tunisia’s Amir Soltane added 79cm to the two-year-old men’s shot put F11 African record as he was victorious in the men’s F11/F12/F20 event. In the men’s club throw F51, Algeria’s Walid Rezouani rewrote the regional record books with an opening round throw of 26.24m, to add 81cm to the previous best set during London 2012.

Libya’s Shima Mohamed impressed in the men’s discus F42/44/46 throwing 47.77m in the third round to break the F46 African record set at the Lyon 2013 World Championships by 3.44m.

In addition to Soltane’s success, there were four Tunisian winners in Thursday’s field events.

Local hero Raoua Tlili, the three-time Paralympic shot put champion, eased to the win and the top of this year’s world rankings with a throw of 9.70m in the women’s shot put F41. Her compatriot and Paralympic silver medallist Samar Ben Koelleb (8.59m) was well back in second. Maroua Ibrahmi (5.94m) won women’s shot put F32 and Raja Jebali (7.88m) the women’s F40 equivalent. Mohamed Ali Krid (33.88m) took the win in the men’s discus F34.

Elsewhere, Greece’s Manolis Stefanoudakis (8.41m/780 points) led from to start to finish to win the men’s shot put F53-54, Morocco’s Saida Amoudi (7.26m) was victorious in the women’s shot put F34 and the United Arab Emirates’ F36 thrower Mohammed Al Kaabi (37.24m/805 points) topped the podium in the men’s discus F35/F36/F37/F40/F41. Algeria’s Bakhta Benallou (F12) (9.90m/605 points) won the women’s shot put F12/F36/F37/F44.

On the track, there were races over 100m, 200m and 800m.

The 100m races were won by Saudi Arabia’s Ali Alnakhli (12.38) in the men’s T37 and Algeria’s Allel Boukhalfa (13.16) in the men’s T35/36.

Over 200m, there were wins for Saudi Arabia’s T44 sprinter Nour Alsana (24.72) in the men’s T44/45 and Ivory Coast’s T47 sprinter Addoh Kimou (24.56) in the men’s T46/47.

There were two Tunisian winners over two laps. Tunisia’s Bilel Aloui (T13) (1:56.75) crossed the line first in the men’s T13/38/44 as did Yassine Gharbi (1:50.03) in the men’s T54. Morocco’s Hafid Aharak (T37) (2:14.49) claimed the win in the men’s 800m T36/37.

There was double joy for Poland’s Paralympic long jump T38 bronze medallist Anna Trener-Wierciak as she won the women’s long jump T12/20/37/38 with a leap of 4.64m/885 points and later won the 10mm T36/37/38, clocking 14.16 seconds.

Nearly 190 Para athletes from 13 nations are in Tunis for the Grand Prix which will run through to Saturday (15 April).