KUALA LUMPUR – National para-athlete Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli considers himself in the best position to reclaim the gold medal at the upcoming Paris Paralympic Games after being crowned world champion.
Ziyad, 34, was crowned the new world champion in the F20 shot put event (intellectual disability category) after recording a throw of 17.43m at the Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium yesterday.
This remarkable feat not only secured him the world title but also shattered his own Asian record of 17.29m set during the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London.
Having clinched the world champion title for the third time – previously in 2013 and 2017 – Ziyad feels even more determined to seize the gold medal in Paris, aiming to overcome the setback he faced in Tokyo.
“Firstly, Alhamdulillah, this is my third world championship, and I am satisfied with the throw I made.
“For me, this is not the end, but rather I feel it is the best platform before heading to Paris, and I am determined to strive even harder to achieve a better record there.
“Now, I feel ready to face all the challenges that await me there,” Ziyad told Scoop when contacted.
The incident at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games was like a nightmare for the Selangor-born athlete after his gold medal was stripped due to an unintentional mistake.
Although at that time Ziyad successfully recorded 17.94m, breaking the world record, the decision was not recognised due to protests from Ukraine.
Ziyad was accused of reporting late to the call room before the competition began. Although he was allowed to compete, his participation status was listed as “did not start”, resulting in his gold medal being revoked.
For the record, Ziyad has won a gold medal at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, while four years prior in London 2012, he successfully clinched a bronze medal. – May 22, 2024