Haider Ali wins Pakistan’s first ever Gold Medal in Paralympics

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Tokyo: Pakistan’s Haider Ali has become the first Pakistani to win a gold medal in the Paralympic Games.

In the Men’s Discus Throw competition of Paralympic Games 2020, Haider threw a 55.26 metres throw in his fifth attempt out of the total six which is also his personal best.

The silver medal was bagged by Ukraine’s Zhabnyak with a 52.43 metres throw, while Brazilian Teixeira de Souza won bronze with a 51.86 throw.

Haider, who suffers from cerebral palsy, also competed in the discus throw at the World Para-Athletics Championship in Dubai in 2019 and won a silver medal for Pakistan.

Cerebral palsy is a disorder because of which one part of a person’s body becomes weakened as compared to other parts. All para-athletes with cerebral palsy participate in the F37 category.

Remember, Haider had competed in the long jump at the Paralympics, winning a silver medal in 2008 and a bronze medal in 2016.

He was the last hope for Pakistan to win a medal after the other Pakistani athlete, Anila Izzat Baig, had been disqualified.