Haider Ali bags first-ever Paralympics gold for Pakistan

Paralympian Haider Ali made the country proud by winning the first-ever gold medal for Pakistan in Paralympics discus throw competition, with a top podium finish in the discus throw event at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics on Friday.

Haider threw a 55.26 metres throw in his fifth attempt out of the total six he made to score the best distance.

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.

Earlier, Haider had won two medals, a silver in Beijing and a Bronze in Rio in the long jump event for Pakistan.

While talking to a local news publication, Ali said that having the uncertainty in training was tough, but then the second set of problems arose with having no support from the government of Pakistan in helping the para-athletes’ travel to Tokyo.

Earlier the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) Media Director Huma Beg had shared that the tickets for the athletes were also bought just a few days before their scheduled arrival in Tokyo. The committee did not have any backing from the government in sending the athletes to the Games, but then the Government of Punjab helped in the end in facilitating the tickets, and most of the preparation was done on self-help basis.

Ali is acutely aware of the fact that Pakistan Government has not played the part that it should have.

Along with Government of Pakistan and Paralympic Pakistan, many congratulated the athlete for his accomplishment.

Finally! https://t.co/xw2IV9gNDO

— Paralympic Pakistan (@PakParalympic) September 3, 2021

Paralympian #HaiderAli made the country proud by winning the first-ever gold medal for Pakistan in #Paralympics. He achieved the feat in the Men's Discus Throw competition, recording his personal best throw of a striking 55.26m.#Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/kPKW4PZDg9

— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) September 3, 2021

It's #Gold for #PAK! F37 discus thrower Haider Ali wins his country's first medal of the Games!

His throw of 55.26m is a personal best and almost three metres longer than second place! #Tokyo2020 #Paralympics #ParaAthletics pic.twitter.com/SD3rO1qlaF

— Paralympic Games (@Paralympics) September 3, 2021

Congratulations to Haider Ali for winning the first-ever Paralympic gold medal for Pakistan! #Paralympics #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/CgnmdnQyQ6

— PTI (@PTIofficial) September 3, 2021

Congratulations to Haider Ali for winning the first-ever Paralympic gold medal🏅for Pakistan🇵🇰! Haider is used to creating history having secured Pakistani's 1st Paralympic games medal (Silver) in 2008. Well done! #paraolympics #goldmedal #Tokyo2020 https://t.co/Fif6mumn9r

— U.S. Embassy Islamabad (@usembislamabad) September 3, 2021

شکریہ حیدر علی، ہمیںآپ پر فخر ہے https://t.co/c7NbaSeiMx

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) September 3, 2021

Congratulations to paralympian #HaiderAli – who becomes the first ever Pakistani to win a 🥇 gold medal at the Paralympics with a discus throw of 55.26 metres. #TokyoParalympics
🇵🇰 pic.twitter.com/syupIOJ28h

— PTV Sports (@PTVSp0rts) September 3, 2021

Congratulations #Pakistan 🇵🇰🎊🥇#Tokyo2020 well done #HaiderAli #ParalympicsTokyo2020 #inclusion https://t.co/Ej1mrityIw

— Wouter Plomp (@NLAmbPlomp) September 3, 2021

Soon after his win, Congratulations Pakistan started trending on Twitter and thousands of fans started congratulating him on Pakistani Twitter. Paralympics Pakistan shared a video of Pakistani Hero Ali thanking the people for their wishes.

Haider Ali #paralympics #tokyo2020 winner of 🥇 Gold medal in Discus throw thanks the nation of #pakistan as he grabs the first gold in its history. pic.twitter.com/9YBTEfxzWd

— Paralympic Pakistan (@PakParalympic) September 3, 2021