Pakistan’s Haider Ali secured a bronze medal in the Men’s Discus Throw F37 event at the Paris Paralympics with a throw of 52.54m. This victory marks Ali’s fourth Paralympic medal, solidifying his status as a Paralympic icon for Pakistan.
The gold was claimed by Uzbekistan’s Tolibboy Yuldashev, who achieved a personal best with a throw of 57.28m, while Canada’s Jesse Zesseu took silver with a 53.24m throw.
Ali initially led the competition with a throw of 52.28m in his first attempt, his season’s best after returning to competition this year. However, in the third round, Zesseu surpassed Ali with a throw of 52.81m, taking the lead. Yuldashev eventually overtook both with a 53.48m throw in the fourth round, before further extending his lead in the final attempts, culminating in a monstrous 57.28m throw.
Ali experienced a challenging run with several fouls between his second and fifth attempts but made a strong comeback in his sixth throw, achieving 52.54m, further improving his season-best.
This medal adds to Haider Ali’s impressive Paralympic legacy. His career began at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, where he won a silver in Long Jump F37/38, followed by a bronze in the Rio 2016 Games in the T37 Long Jump. Ali’s golden moment came in the Tokyo 2020 Games, where he won the gold in Men’s Discus Throw F37.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised Ali’s achievements, stating on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), “Your courage and determination are a source of inspiration for the entire nation.”
Ali remains Pakistan’s only Paralympic medalist, with his tally now standing at two bronze, one silver, and one gold medal across five Paralympic Games. His perseverance and success continue to inspire athletes and fans alike in Pakistan and around the world.