World Para Athletics Championships:
Salehi grabs javelin gold as Iran bags double medals on Day 5
Elham Salehi claimed a second gold medal for Iran at the World Para Athletics Championships, winning the ultimate prize in the women’s javelin throw event on the fifth day of the competition in New Delhi.
Representing the country in the F54 class, Salehi secured the top spot with her fifth effort of 17.06m, with Mexican duo Alondra Salazar (16.83m) and Rebeca Citlaly Cortés (15.48m) settling for the silver and bronze, respectively.
This was Salehi’s second medal in New Delhi, following her bronze-winning campaign in the shot put F54 event on the preceding day.
Meanwhile, Zeinab Moradi also won a women’s javelin medal on Wednesday, winning the bronze in the F56 division.
The Iranian girl registered a final effort of 22.06m to finish behind Latvian gold medalist Diana Krumina (26.18m) and Raissa Rocha Machado (23.90m) of Brazil and take Iran’s medal haul to six.
It was an all-Iranian one-two in the men’s shot put F11 final on Tuesday, as reigning Paralympic champion Amirhossein Alipour defended his world title in style, shattering the championship record with a 14.59m throw.
Three-time Paralympic medalist Mahdi Olad, who won the silver of the category in Paris, again had to settle for a runner-up finish behind his fellow Iranian, courtesy of a season-best 14.23 throw.
Completing a podium that mirrored last year’s Paralympic Games, Spain’s Álvaro del Amo Cano took the bronze with a throw of 13.70m.
Amanollah Papi got Iran off the mark in New Delhi on Sunday, winning a bronze in the men’s javelin throw event.
Representing the country in the F57 class, Papi saved his best for the last attempt, registering a season-high 51.55m effort to win a consolation bronze.
Turkey’s Muhammet Khalvandi and Yorkinbek Odilov of Uzbekistan grabbed the gold and silver medals, finishing on with 53.3m and 52.06m, respectively.
There was disappointment for Iranian Alireza Mokhtari – a Paralympic bronze medalist last year – in the men’s shot put F53 contest on Monday, after he was stripped of the silver medal due to a successful protest against his efforts.
More than 1,000 athletes from 104 countries will compete in the 12th edition of the World Championships at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium until Sunday.