Pranav Soorma Wins Gold, Sets Asian Record
India’s Pranav Soorma clinched the gold medal with a new Asian record in the men’s discus throw combined F51/52/53 event at the Asian Para Games in Nagoya, Japan, on Tuesday. Compatriot Ram Ratan Singh claimed silver, giving India the top two podium positions in the competition.
Soorma Sets Asian Record with 11.66m Throw
The 32-year-old Soorma registered a throw of 11.66 metres in his fourth attempt to secure the gold medal and establish a new Asian record.
Soorma had previously won gold in the club throw F51 event at the 2023 Asian Para Games in China, adding another major achievement to his continental career.
Meanwhile, 31-year-old Ram Ratan Singh secured silver with a throw of 10.35 metres in his second attempt. Both Indian athletes competed under the F51 classification.
Iran’s Hemami Takes Bronze Despite Longer Throw
Iran’s Alireza Hemami, competing in the F53 category, finished third with a throw of 20.20 metres in the fourth round.
Despite recording a greater distance than the Indian athletes, Hemami was placed third under the Raza Point System, which determines rankings when athletes from different classifications compete in a combined event.
The system converts performances into standardised scores, taking into account the degree of impairment associated with each classification to ensure fair competition.
Understanding the Combined Discus Throw Classifications
The F51 classification includes athletes with significant movement limitations affecting the trunk, legs and hands, along with varying degrees of arm impairment.
The broader F51-F57 classification group covers seated throwers with physical impairments, including reduced muscle strength, limited movement and limb deficiencies.
Athletes from different but related classifications may compete together when individual categories have insufficient participants.
The combined event allows competitors with different levels of impairment to compete for medals through a classification-adjusted scoring system.
