Tunis Grand Prix: Five talking points

The 2018 World Para Athletics Grand Prix series headed to north Africa for the Tunis Grand Prix on 22-24 June. Here are the headlines from three days of track and field action.

World record for El Kassioui

Morocco’s Fouzia El Kassioui re-wrote the record books with a new world record in the discus F32. The 26-year-old’s massive throw of 13.97m added more than two metres to the previous mark set by Algerian Mounia Gasmi last year.

Tunisia’s world medallists impress

London 2017 gold medallists Walid Ktila, Rima Abdelli and Yassine Gharbi all had their turn at the top of the podium; Samar Ben Koelleb who clinched two bronze medals at London 2017, won the women’s shot put F41 - topping the world rankings. Two centimetres separated world silver medallist Hania Aidi and Fadhila Nafati at the top of the women’s shot put F53/54 and world bronze medallist Mohammed Ali Krid won the discus F33/34.

Gharbi makes it four out of four

Double world champion Gharbi dominated the men’s T54 class as he notched up wins in all distances from 200m through to 1,500m. The 28-year-old currently tops the world rankings in the 200m and 400m T54 and third in the 800m T54.

Iran strong in the field

With the Asian Para Games taking place in October, Iran’s Para athletes will have gained much confidence in Tunis. London 2017 champion Saman Pakbaz finished more than 10 metres clear of his rivals in the discus F12/13; world silver medallist Mohsen Kaedi won the men’s javelin F33/34; Shahla Hadidi won the women’s discus F54; Mahdi Olad took the top spot in the men’s discus F11; Mehdi Alizadeh won the shot put F33 and Siamak Saleh Farajzadeh took gold in the men’s shot put F34.

South African Grand Prix success continues

Charl du Toit, Anrune Liebenberg and Hilton Langenhoven were all in great form at the Paris Grand Prix earlier this month; their winning journey continued to Tunis where all three notched up further victories. Both du Toit (T37) and Liebenberg (T47) currently top the rankings in their class.

*All record marks subject to ratification by World Para Athletics