KOBE, Japan, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese para throwers Xue Enhui and Zhang Liangmin claimed the gold and silver medals in the women's discus throw F11 final at the Para Athletics World Championships here on Friday.
Xue, 41, recorded a personal best throw of 40.24 meters in her very first attempt at the Universiade Memorial Stadium in the central Japanese port city of Kobe, while Zhang took silver with a season best result of 38.62m.
38-year-old Zhang is the current world record holder of the F11-class event for athletes with visual impairment.
Brazil's Izabela Campos claimed the bronze with a throw of 36.84m.
"I'm basically satisfied with my throws today, which lined up with my previous training results," Xue told Xinhua after the game, highlighting her hope to further stabilize her performance through more exercises in the future.
Her coach Li Xiuqing also looks forward to more advancements of the athlete in the upcoming phase.
The Kobe Para Athletics World Championships, held in East Asia for the first time, serves as a crucial qualifier for the Paris Paralympics, having attracted over 1,000 athletes from 100 countries and regions competing in 168 events.
A total of 73 Chinese para-athletes are competing in the championships, which runs until May 25. Originally scheduled for 2021, the tournament was postponed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ■
