Doha: The GCC Para-Athletics Championships concluded after days of thrilling action by the differently-abled athletes, with hosts Qatar clinching more medals at the Qatar Sports Club in Doha on Tuesday.
Team Qatar won three gold and two silvers in Championships finale.
Qatari para-athletics star Shareefa Al Haddad added yet another gold medal to Qatar’s final medal tally, bringing her personal total to three gold medals, in the 100m Deaf/T20 women’s event in a time of 16.68 seconds. She finished just ahead of silver medalist Qatar’s Mona Al Saadi who took second place with a time of 17.66 seconds.
Speaking after her victory Al Haddad said: “The GCC Para-Athletics Championships have been immensely successful for me. I am extremely pleased and excited to have won three gold medals for Qatar. I am really excited ahead of the Doha 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in October and I will give it my absolute best to make Qatar proud once again.”
Qatari Paralympian Nasser Al Sahoti, who competed in the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games, showed his prowess and experience in the men’s F56/57 javelin event, dominating the competition with a best throw of 32.87 m to win the gold medal.
Commenting on his performance Al Sahoti said: “The javelin competition was very tough and I was up against some incredibly talented athletes so I am very pleased with my performance. The GCC Championships have been a great opportunity for me ahead of the Doha 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in which I hope to qualify for the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games.”
Meanwhile, in the men’s 200m T20 event, Abdulla Abdelrahim took the silver medal for Qatar with a time of 25.98 seconds, just behind Saudi Arabia’s Rashed Al Yami who won the gold medal with a lightning fast 24.51 seconds.
Upcoming Qatari wheelchair racer Khalid Al Hajri claimed the silver medal in the men’s 800m T33/34 event with 2.28.82 seconds. While speaking at the closing ceremony, President of the GCC Para-Athletics Championships Organising Committee Khalid Al Mohannadi said: “The GCC Para-Athletics Championships were very successful on an organisational level and are proof that Qatar is more than ready to host an exceptional edition of the IPC Athletics World Championships. We hope this event has given the GCC athletes a platform to build on as they turn their attention to the World Championships in October.” The event served as a test event for the Doha 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships, which will also be held at the Qatar SC.THE PENINSULA
