Alhammadi finished second in the race, setting a new personal best time of 49.11 seconds
Mohamed Alhammadi celebrates after winning the silver medal. — Wam
Mohamed Alhammadi, a member of the UAE Paralympic athletics team, won the silver medal in the T34 400-metre race at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships in Paris.
His medal is the first for the UAE in the ongoing championship which has drawn more than 1,300 competitors from 107 countries.
Alhammadi finished second in the race, setting a new personal best time of 49.11 seconds, surpassing some of the world's best runners.
The gold medal went to Thai athlete Chaiwat Rattana, who set a new world record and surpassed his previous best achieved in Sharjah at the start of 2022.
The T34 400-metre race is the first event that Alhammadi participated in. He is expected to compete in two other races — the T34 100-metre race on Thursday and the T34 800-metre race on Monday.
The World Para Athletics Championships is the most important competition after the Paralympic Games.
The event also serves as a qualifier for the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games, set to take place from July 8 to July 17 next year.
Apart from Alhammadi, Ahmed Nawad, Badr Al Hosani (track and field), Maryam Al Zeyoudi (discus and shot put), Noura Al Ketbi, Zikra Al Kaabi (javelin and shot put), Sara Al Junaibi, Mohammed Al Kaabi and Ahmed Al Hosani (shot put) are representing the UAE in the event.
The UAE team headed to Paris after completing their training camp in the Turkish city of Bolu.
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