Pakistan’s Haider Ali on Wednesday crashed out of the men’s long jump, ending hopes of becoming the troubled South Asian nation’s first Paralympic gold medalist.
The 27-year-old from the “City of Wrestlers” in Gujranwala, north of Lahore, had three no-jumps in the F37/38 final at the Olympic Stadium, which eliminated him from the competition.
The gold was won by Gocha Khugaev with a jump of 6.31m. In combined class field events, distance is converted into points, leaving the Russian on a new world record of 1,028.
Ma Yuxi of China won silver, with Dyan Buis of South Africa in bronze.
Ali, who has cerebral palsy, won silver at the last Games in Beijing behind Mohamed Farhat Chida of Tunisia. Chida could only manage fourth this time round.
The Pakistani athlete is one of only two at the London Games and the country’s only Paralympic medalist.
But Pakistan’s National Paralympic Committee is hoping their participation will be a spur to greater funding and help change traditional attitudes towards disability in the conservative Muslim nation.
