Athletics Day 8 Morning Session Review: Host nation dominates

Athletics Day 8 Morning Session Review: Host nation dominates

Huang Lisha celebrates. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

(BEIJING, September 15) -- Six new world records were set in seven finals as China dominated the morning, taking the top three spots in the Women's Discus F42/46 and two other gold medals. Papua New Guinea celebrated its first medal in the Beijing 2008 Paralympics, a silver by Francis Kompaon.

Women's 200m - T53

China's Huang Lisha not only beat Jessica Galli (United States) to the gold, she did it in world record breaking time at 29.17. Galli (former world record holder - 29.51) settled for silver by finishing 29.68 while Huang's teammate Zhou Hongzhuan came in third with 30.15.

Women's Shot Put - F32-34/52/53

Croatia's Antonia Balek took the gold with 5.69m (1240 points), beating the old F52 the world record (4.59m). Birgit Pohl of Germany had a throw of 8.46m (1122 points) but had to make do with silver based on the multi-classification event point system. She still retains her F34 world record (8.80m) title set in 1998. Maria Stamatoula's (Greece) throw of 5.64m (1109 points) secured her the bronze and a F32 Paralympics record but was short of her F32 world record (5.67m). F33 world record (6.50m) holder Tetyana Yakybchuk of Ukraine came in fourth with a new record time of 6.48m.


Faouzi Rzig competes. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Men's Javelin - F33/34/52

Tunisia made it a 1-2 finish in the Men's Javelin - F33/34/52. Faouzi Rzig took the gold with a F34 world record of 34.81m (1305 points) and teammate Mohamed Krid took silver with 31.26m (1172 points). Third place went to Jean-Pierre Talatini of France for his throw of 31.19m (1169 points). Fourth placer Roman Musil (Czech Republic) set a new F33 Paralympics record (25.05m) but his 2001 world record of 26.33m still stands. A new F52 Paralympics record was also set, 17.55m by Rod Farr (Australia) who settled for sixth place.

Classes 32 to 34 cover wheelchair athletes with different levels of cerebral palsy.

Classes 52 ro 53 covers wheelchair athletes with different levels of spinal cord injuries and amputations


Li Duan (L) celebrates. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Men's Long Jump - F11

LI Duan (China) needed only his first attempt jump of 6.61m to win the Men's Long Jump - T11, adding this to his Triple Jump gold to make it two to his name. Athens silver medalist American Lex Gillette won silver again with his best of 6.46m while the bronze went to Athanasios Barakas (Greece) for a 6.17m jump. The world record of 6.67m set by Spain's Jose Rodriguez in Atlanta 1996 remains unbeaten.

Men's Shot Put - F40

Greece's Paschalis Stathelakos took the gold with his last attempt throw of 11.75m, beating the old world record (10.46m) of Mathias Mester (Germany) whose 11.16m throw won him the silver. The bronze went to Hocine Gherzouli of Algeria for his attempt of 11.08m.


Wang Jun competes. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Women's Discus - F42/46

Gold, silver and bronze in the Women's Discus - F42/46 go to China. Wang Jun earned her top spot on the podium with her last attempt of 36.99m (1216 points) to beat Zheng Baozhu's old F42 world (32.94) record. Yang Yue's throw of 42.38m (1122 points) was further in distance and broke her own F44 world record but only gave her silver based on the multi-classification event point system. Zheng Baozhu wrapped it up for the host nation with a bronze in her third attempt with 33.19m (1091 points).


Heath Francis celebrates. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Men's 100m - T46

Heath Francis (Australia) won the Men's 100m - T46 with 11.05 and now has three gold medals to his name (one each from 200m and 400m). Papua New Guinea's Kompaon may have only got a silver with 11.10 but he looked the happiest man at the finish line, for giving his country its first medal. In third place was Brazil's Yohansson Nascimento with 11.25.

Classes 40 to 46 covers ambulant athletes with different levels of amputations and other disabilities including dwarfism.