UAE finish with 21 medals in Fazza Para Athletics Grand Prix 2025
UAE's Mohamad Othman reacts after his men's 800m T34 race. Supplied
Dubai: Para discus thrower Abdulla Mesbahi claimed the eighth gold for hosts UAE as they finished the 16th Fazza Para Athletics Grand Prix — Dubai 2025 with 21 medals at the Dubai Club for People of Determination grounds.
Mesbahi finished on top in the men's discus F51/52/54 final with a throw of 24,75 metres as the hosts finished in fourth place in the medal standings.
Overall, India, Saudi Arabia and Kenya claimed the top three positions in the table with nine gold medals each.
Other UAE medallist on the final day was the promising Mohamad Othman who took his third medal, a bronze in men's 800m wheelchair T34 race clocking 1:42.33 seconds. Othman already has a gold from the event when he claimed the men's 100m T34 races.
Tunisian five-time Paralympic champion Walid Ktila finally won his first medal at the competition, a gold finishing the race in two seconds ahead of his UAE friend, in the men's 800m T34 finals.
Earlier, the host UAE had several winners including Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games bronze medallist Thekra Alkaabi (women's club throw F32), Yahya Alblooshi (men's 100m T45/46), Siham Alrasheedy (women's discus F52- 57), Sara Aljneibi, the Rio 2026 Paralympic bronze medallist (women's shot put F32/33), Abdalla Almarzooqi (men's 100m T71/72) among others.
Event director Majid Al Usaimi thanked the participants for the amazing performances. 'The Fazza Championships have grown over the years and several Paralympic champions have emerged from this event. We are happy to provide a great platform to these amazing athletes many of whom started their Paralympic journey here. Thank you for making this event become among one of the best championships in the Para sport world. We look forward to your support and participation in the years to come.'
Among the top names, Swiss legend Marcel Hug signed off the Dubai 2025 Grand Prix with his third gold medal, this time winning the men's 5000m wheelchair T54 race in 10:02.89 seconds.
Earlier, Hug claimed the top places in men's 800m and 1500m wheelchair T54 races.
China's multiple-time Paralympic and world champion Lijuan Zou clinched her second gold medal in the competition winning the women's shot put F34 with an effort of 8.09 metres.
The season-opening Grand Prix was competed by around 400 para-athletes from 52 nations between February 10 to 13.
The event was also the season opener in the Grand Prix calendar of the World Para Athletics, the world body for the sport.
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