Malaysia’s Paralympic shot putter Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli competed in the F20 shot put event (learning difficulties category) at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games at the Olympic Stadium August 31, 2021. — Bernama pic
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 31 — It was another world-record smashing day for national shot put champion Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli en route to delivering Malaysia’s second gold at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
In today’s men’s F20 shot put event, the 31-year-old initially broke his own world record of 17.29m set at the 2017 World Para Athletics Championship once, with his first throw of 17.31m, before breaking that with his third throw of 17.94m.
This also means that Ziyad has shattered the national record for able-bodied athletes for the event that was previously set by Adi Alifuddin Hussin, who managed 17.54m at the Palembang SEA Games in 2011.
Today’s gold would be the second for Ziyad in the Games. He won his first in the T20 category at the 2016 Rio Games.
This brings Malaysia’s Tokyo 2020 Paralympics medal tally to two golds and one silver.
Bonnie Bunyau Gustin won gold in the men’s 72kg powerlifting event while Jong Yee Khie bagged silver in the men’s 107kg powerlifting event.
MORE TO COME