Haider Ali wins bronze in Paris, 4th paralympic medal of his career

PARIS (Agencies): Pakistan’s Haider Ali won bronze in the Men’s Discus Throw F37 on Friday with a 52.54m throw, clinching his fourth Paralympic medal. Uzbekistan’s Tolibboy Yuldashev took home gold with a massive 57.28m throw, setting a personal best on his sixth attempt. Canada’s Jesse Zesseu won silver with a 53.24m throw. A jubilant Ali could be seen taking his victory lap after the competition was over, hugging the other medallists and competitors in the process. Ali led the field in the first attempt with a solid 52.28m throw, his season’s best since the Paralympics marked his first competition of the year. But Zesseu overtook Ali in the third round, with a 52.81m throw, moving up to first place. Yuldashev then stole the spotlight from both, with a huge 53.48m throw in the fourth attempt. But the Uzbek had a surprise for the crowd — and himself with a whopping 56.03m throw in his fifth attempt, setting a new personal best.

The 21-year-old wasn’t done for the day, throwing a monstrous personal best of 57.28m in his sixth attempt. Yuldashev’s gold follows his bronze in the Men’s Shot Put F37 last week. Ali had a streak of foul throws in his second, third, fourth, and fifth attempts, coming back strong in his sixth attempt with a 52.54m throw, improving on his season-best set in the second throw. The 39-year-old now has a total of two bronze medals, one silver and one gold at the Paralympics, with Paris marking his fifth Paralympic Games. Ali’s medals are also the only medals Pakistan has ever won at the Games. His first was a silver at his debut at the Beijing 2008 Games in the men’s Long Jump F37/38 with a 6.44 metre jump. At the Rio 2016 Games, he clinched a bronze in the men’s T37 long jump. Like Paris, he was the country’s sole participant and flag-bearer at the opening ceremony. Ali finally struck gold at the Tokyo 2020 Games in the Men’s Discus Throw F37. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif celebrated Ali’s win with a statement on X, saying: “your courage and determination are a source of inspiration for the entire nation.”