Pakistani Paralympic athlete, Haider Ali, has once again etched his name in the annals of sports history. At the recently concluded Paris Paralympic Games 2024, Ali secured a bronze medal in the Discus Throw F37 event, marking his fourth Paralympic medal.
Pakistani para-athlete Haider Ali achieved yet another remarkable milestone in his Paralympic career by winning a bronze medal in the Men’s Discus Throw F37 at the Paris Paralympics 2024. The event took place at the iconic Stade De France, where Ali’s final throw of 52.54 meters earned him his fourth Paralympic medal.
The gold medal in the event was claimed by Uzbekistan’s Tolibboy Yuldashev, who set a personal best of 57.28 meters in his final throw. Meanwhile, Canada’s Jesse Zesseu secured the silver with a 53.24-meter throw.
This victory adds to Haider Ali’s illustrious Paralympic career, which now includes one gold, one silver, and two bronze medals. Ali’s journey began at the Beijing 2008 Paralympics, where he won a silver medal in the Long Jump F37/38 category. He later secured a bronze medal in the Long Jump at the Rio 2016 Games. Moreover, he made history by clinching gold in the Discus Throw at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
Despite fouling several attempts during the Paris Games, the 39-year-old Ali made a strong comeback in his final throw, sealing the bronze. His achievement once again places Pakistan on the Paralympic medal table. This is a feat that only Ali has accomplished in the country’s history.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended his congratulations, praising Haider Ali’s courage and determination. He celebrated Ali’s win with a statement on X. He wrote: “Your courage and determination are a source of inspiration for the entire nation.” Pakistani Ambassador to France, Asim Iftikhar Ahmed, was also present at the event to commend Ali’s performance.
Haider Ali’s triumph follows another historic moment for Pakistan in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Arshad Nadeem won a gold medal in the javelin throw, ending a 32-year Olympic medal drought for the nation.
So far in Paralympic Paris 2024, China led the medals table on 74 golds with Great Britain advancing to 38 and the USA third with 27. The Netherlands are fourth with 21 golds and host nation France has 17 in fifth place.