Sunday, 16 July 2017 | MYT 9:08 AM
Ziyad Zolkefli wins gold, sets new record at World Para Athletics Championships
PETALING JAYA: Rio Paralympic gold medallist Ziyad Zolkefli (pic) made the nation proud again with a record-breaking performance on the second day of the World Para Athletics Championships in London, England, on Saturday evening.
A spectacular opening throw of 17.29m saw Ziyad breaking his own world record of 16.84m set in Rio last year and enough to reclaim the men's shot put F20 (learning disability) gold he last won in the 2013 edition in Lyon, France.
The remaining eight finalists could not better Ziyad's score after that.
image: http://www.thestar.com.my/sport/athletics/2017/07/16/shot-putter-ziyad-zolkefli-wins-gold-at-world-para-athletics-championships/~/media/c85c5e16b2f943ed8a24610acb70a7bc.ashx
It was also the first medal for Malaysia in the biennial world meet.
Ziyad was the bronze medallist in the event in the 2015 edition in Doha, Qatar, and his latest score also surpassed the silver medal qualifying mark of 17.05m for the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games next month.
Stalin Mosquera of Ecuador took silver with 16.72m.
Australian Todd Hodgetts, the previous meet record holder at 15.83m, settled for bronze with 15.95m.
National Sportsman of the Year and Rio Paralympic gold medallist Abdul Latif Romly will also be chasing for gold in the men's long jump T20 (learning disability) final later Sunday.
Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/sport/athletics/2017/07/16/shot-putter-ziyad-zolkefli-wins-gold-at-world-para-athletics-championships/#tLFy05VeEx0p8M2O.99
