Athletes pose with their medals during the 2015 GCC Para-Athletics Championships at Qatar Sports Club stadium here yesterday.

By Sports Reporter/Doha


Qatar’s Abdelrahman Abdelqader showed he is in great form ahead of next month’s IPC Athletics World Championships, with a decisive victory and a new world record in shot put F34 event at the 2015 GCC Para-Athletics Championships at Qatar Sports Club stadium here yesterday.
Abdelqader’s effort of 10.68 meters was not only good enough to win the gold but also to create a new world mark.
“I am extremely happy with my performance today. This is my last competition before the Doha 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in October and I hope to enter the World Championships in the same form as I was in today and break more records and win glory for Qatar,” he said after the win.
Qatar’s Shareefa al-Haddad took home the gold medal in a fierce 200m race.
“It is an indescribable feeling to win gold for Qatar. My gold came as a result of my dedication and will power, as well as the invaluable support of my coaches. I look forward to a great edition of the IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha in October where I hope to emulate my success today,” she said.
Earlier, the competition kicked off with the men’s 100m T33/34, where Mohamed al-Khubaisi claimed bronze.
Following the race, he said: “It was a great race and I am pleased with my performance. I was up against the world champion and the Asian Champion so the competition was incredibly tough. I hope I can bring more medals to Team Qatar in the remaining days of the Competition.”
UAE’s Mohamed al-Hammadi won gold in the 100m T33/34 event. Ahmed al-Mutairi from Kuwait broke the record in the 100m T33 event. A total of 27 champions were crowned on day one
The 2015 GCC Para-Athletics Championships opening ceremony saw the presence of GCC Para-Athletics Championships Organising Committee chairman Khalid al-Mohannadi and Championships CEO Ameer al-Mulla.
Speaking at the Opening Ceremony, al-Mohannadi said: “The GCC Para-Athletics Championships provide an opportunity to raise awareness of para-sport and people with a disability. The athletes that will be competing over the next four days will showcase their incredible abilities, demonstrating how no challenge is too small and that there are no limits to what can be achieved. We hope that their performances will help to break down barriers and change perceptions across the whole region.”
The Championships bring together over 200 of the best para-athletes from across the region. Six countries are participating, including hosts Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain. Organized by the GCC Organizing Committee for Sports of the Disabled, the Championships aim to create new platforms for regional athletes through which they can experience high-level competition and gain invaluable experience that can be transferred to the world stage.
GCC Organising Committee for Sports of the Disabled president Sheikh Mohammed al-Khalifa said: “The GCC is filled with world class athletes of the highest calibre; world record holders, Paralympic Champions and Asian Champions. We expect new records to be set during these Championships and we hope that they will help in raising awareness of para-sport across the GCC.”
The Championships are also serving as a test event for the upcoming IPC Athletics World Championships, which are also taking place at Qatar Sports Club from October 21-31, 2015.