Brazil has golden day at Paralympic Athletics World Championships
Brazil experienced a golden Wednesday (Jul. 12) at the World Paralympic Athletics Championships held in Paris (France), with Beth Gomes emerging as the standout athlete. Gomes triumphed in both the weight throw and discus throw events (in the F53 class), setting world records in both disciplines.
Gomes' remarkable day commenced with the weight throw in the F53 class (athletes who compete in chairs), where she reached a distance of 7.75 meters. This performance surpassed her own previous world record of 7.16 meters, which she set at the Brazilian Athletics Championships in June at the Paralympic Training Center in São Paulo.
"I've done my homework and translated it onto the field. Breaking the world record here in Paris, the host city of the 2024 Games, is truly amazing, but it's only the beginning. I will always be here to inspire our younger generation, emphasizing the transformative power of sports in our lives," said Gomes, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the 1990s.
Gomes continued to shine in the discus throw, achieving a distance of 17.12 meters and surpassing her previous world record of 16.80 meters, also set at the Brazilian Athletics Championships.
More golden victories
Another Brazilian athlete to secure a gold medal was Claudiney Batista. Having already achieved this feat at the 2019 World Championships in Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Batista excelled once again, this time in the discus throw event of the F56 class. He recorded an impressive distance of 46.07 meters. Yogesh Kathuniya from India claimed the silver medal with a distance of 43.17 meters, while Slovakia's Dusan Laczko secured the bronze medal with a throw of 42.70 meters.
"I feel relieved and accomplished. I have worked hard throughout this year, and I approached this competition with great confidence. My main concern was the Indian athlete, who had come close to my previous marks. However, I always strive to evolve and maintain my position atop the podium," said Batista, who also won a gold medal in the race at the Tokyo Paralympic Games.
In the T37 class (athletes with cerebral palsy) 200-meter event, Brazil celebrated a double victory, with Ricardo Mendonça capturing gold and Christian Gabriel da Costa earning silver. The final gold medal of the day was secured by Felipe Gomes in the T11 class (blind athletes) 400-meter race.
The day also witnessed two silver medals: one by Fabrício Ferreira in the T13 class (visually impaired athletes) 100-meter event, and another by Alessandro Silva in the F11 class (blind athletes) weight throw. Additionally, two bronze medals were won by Fábio Bordignon in the T35 class 200-meter race and Matheus de Lima in the T44 class (athletes with lower limb disabilities) 100-meter event.
With a total of seven gold, five silver, and eight bronze medals, Brazil secured the second position in the overall medal standings. China claimed the top spot with ten gold, six silver, and four bronze medals.
The Brazilian team at the World Athletics Championships comprises 54 athletes from 19 states, along with 11 guide athletes. This championship in Paris marks the first major event in the sport following the Tokyo Paralympic Games. The competition is taking place at the Charlety Stadium, which has a seating capacity of 20,000 and belongs to the Paris FC soccer club, competing in the French second division.
