Sunday 20 / October / 2024
MUSCAT: The para athletes from Oman showcased their remarkable prowess on the Asian stage by excelling in both the club throw and shot put events at the fourth Hangzhou 2022 Para Asian Games, earning two gold and two silver medals.
The Hangzhou Asian Para Games, which concluded on Saturday, witnessed Oman's impressive performance, with the nation taking home a total of four medals. The duo of Mohammed Al Mashaykhi and Mohammed Al Qasmi secured two gold and two silver medals respectively for their country.
As the Asian record holder in the men's shot put (F32) event, Mashaykhi exhibited his excellence by clinching the gold with a remarkable throw of 8.33m, which also stood as his personal best for the season.
Al Qasmi's outstanding performance earned him the silver with a throw covering a distance of 7.34m. This exceptional achievement resulted in an impressive Oman 1-2 finish.
Earlier on October 23, Al Mashaykhi and Al Qasmi achieved an outstanding one-two victory in the men's club throw (F32) event. Al Mashaykhi's powerful throw covered a distance of 27.78m, securing his place at the top of the podium, while Al Qasmi's performance earned him the silver with a throw of 27.33m.
Both para athletes had previously been on the podium at the 2018 Asian Para Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. At that event, Al Mashaykhi secured a gold and a silver medal, while Al Qasmi earned a well-deserved silver.
Al Mashaykhi holds the distinction of being the sole Omani athlete to win a bronze at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in the shot put (F32) event held in Tokyo. He also added to his impressive resume by clinching a silver medal at the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in the same category.
As the Hangzhou Asian Para Games concluded, Oman finished in 21st place in the overall medals tally. China topped the medal tally with a total of 521 medals, consisting of 214 gold, 167 silver, and 140 bronze.
This latest achievement comes on the heels of Oman's remarkable performance at the 19th Asian Games in the Chinese city of Hangzhou earlier this month. The nation secured its best-ever showing by claiming two medals, including a historic silver and a bronze. The sailing duo of Musab Al Hadi and Waleed Al Kindi made history by finishing second in the highly competitive men's skiff 49er event, while Husain Al Farsi brought home Oman's first medal in the 800m track discipline.
