- Baby on the podium
- Married couple both win medals in canoeing
- Nepal with their first ever Asian Para Games medal
Day two was a day of family celebrations at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games.
First up, Indian paddler KAURAV Manish took Bronze in the Men’s KL3 Final, then watched as his wife YADAV Prachi took Gold in the KL2 event. The pair met through the sport and bonded over their love of canoeing. Now they are set to return home with three medals between then, as YADAV also won a silver medal yesterday. Today’s events concluded the Canoeing competition and Uzbekistan topped the medal standings, winning six of the ten gold medals on offer.
Elsewhere, more family celebrations ensued when I.R. Iran’s Sareh Javenmardi took her baby onto the podium to collect her Silver medal in the P2 Women’s 10m Air Pistol SH1 event. Whilst his mum collected her medal, the baby boy was also presented with a miniature games mascot. It is thought to be the first time a baby has been on the podium at an Olympic or Paralympic event.
Nepal got off the mark, winning their first ever Asian Para Games medal when Palesha GOVERDHAN took bronze in the women’s K44 -57kg event. Mongolia also won their first gold medal of the games on the penultimate day of competition when Bolor-Erdene GANBAT won the men’s K44 -63kg event.
In Athletics, China once again dominated and another World Record was broken when SUN Pengxiang broke his own record in the F41 Javelin by nearly 90cm, throwing 48.46. In his post event interview, he said “I feel excited and thrilled to compete here at home. It feels definitely different to compete here on home ground. It gives me that advantage and confidence to win. I would like to thank all the fans for their support. I will keep working hard to honour my country.”
Saudi Arabia’s ASANA Nour Mohammed S had a busy day, winning two medals, including the first gold of the Games for his country in the men’s T64 400m race in the morning, then taking bronze in the men’s T44 100m event four hours later. Sri Lanks also bagged two gold medals in Athletics today through MATHTHAKA Gamage (Men’s T44 100m) and PUWAKPITIKANDE Wahumpurag (Men’s 1500m T46) and UAE (ALHAMMEDI Mohamed T34 800m) also got their first gold medal of the games.
In the pool, two more countries made it onto the swimming gold medal table. Ernie GAWILAN who won three Gold medals for the Philippines in Jakarta, repeated his victory in the Men’s 400m Freestyle S7 final to give his country their first Gold medal of the Games. Meanwhile ZHUMAGAL Nurdaulet from Kazakhstan won the Men’s Breaststroke SB13 event China is dominating the swimming events with 59 out of a possible 120 medals so far but thirteen nations have won at least one medal so far.
In the cycling, China once again showed their prowess, winning five of the six gold medals on offer with only Malaysia’s Nur Suraiya Muhamad Zamri stopping their complete domination with her victory in the women’ B 1000m Time Trial.
At the end of Day 2, China stretched their lead on the medal table and are now on comfortably on top with 67 Gold medals, I.R. Iran in second on 16. A total of 29 countries have now won at least one Asian Para Games medal.
Tomorrow will see the first medals in Wheelchair Tennis, Boccia and Archery being contested.
