Pakistan’s para-athlete Haider Ali wins the country’s first ever gold medal during the discus throw competition at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
His recorded throw measures 55.26m which is his personal best and was 3 meters longer than Mykola Zhabnyak’s, who came in second place.
Haider Ali, who suffers from cerebral palsy since birth, is a resident of Gujranwala. Interested in sports since a very young age, he took an actual interest in competing in the Paralympics in 2006. After making it to the team, he carried out his first international performance in the 2006 FESPIC Games (Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, managing to win 4 medals and performing a dream debut.
Ever since Haider Ali has won numerous medals in several different games across the world. During the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games, Haider Ali secured a silver medal in the long jump, the first Paralympic medal acquired by a Pakistani para-athlete.
“People here back home knew about Para sport only after my Paralympic silver medal. The medal gave me recognition and motivation to believe in myself and my dreams,” stated Ali, becoming a household name in his home city – Gujranwala.
Haider Ali also won two medals at the 2010 Asian Para Games held in Guangzhou, China; he secured a gold in the long jump and a bronze one in the 100m race.
In the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games, he managed to attain a bronze medal, becoming the first Pakistani to bring home 2 medals from the Paralympic Games.
“I love sports. It is a big source of rehabilitation, especially for Para athletes. I was very much fond of athletics from a very young age. It was only during my college days that I was introduced to the sport with proper guidance. And eventually, I started bunking my classes to attend training sessions for long jump and discus throw sessions. In January 2006, the trials for the Pakistan national Para-athletics team were held in Islamabad and I eventually made it to the team. There was no looking back after that” stated Haider Ali.
https://www.paralympic.org/haider-ali
Upon his momentous achievement, Haider Ali received commendations and praises from several individuals both nationally and internationally, including the Prime Minister of Pakistan, the Ambassador of Netherlands Wouter Plomp, and others.
Despite coming from an unprivileged background, Haider Ali managed to reach the highest of achievements through sheer determination and hard work. Keeping Usain Bolt’s journey and success as an inspiration, Ali focused on his dream of becoming a gold medalist. Now that he has achieved it, he hopes to become an inspiration for the younger generations of Pakistani athletes.
