Paralympic gold for Jordan

AMMAN — Jordan has picked up its first Paralympic gold medal in 21 years after powerlifter Omar Qarada secured a brilliant win in his 49kg category at Tokyo 2020, according to the Jordan Olympic Committee News Service.

“I speak a lot to Le. He is a friend. In Rio the same thing happened, we both lifted the same weight on our third lift, but in Rio it was Le stealing my gold medal. Today it was me who was able to steal the gold medal from him,” Qarada said to World Para Powerlifting.

“It is a dream come true, but it’s just a stepping stone for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, where I promise I will set a new world record,” he added.

The 40-year-old, who won silver at the 2016 Rio De Janeiro and the 2008 Sydney Games, finally got his gold with a tremendous lift of 174kg, more than three-and-a-half times his bodyweight.

Reigning gold medallist and world record holder, Van Con Le, of Vietnam, was second with Parvin Mammadov, of Azerbaijan, picking up the bronze in third.

Jordan last won a Paralympic gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics through table tennis star Maha Barghouti.