Gnezdilov smashes Shot Put F40 World Record twice at Para Worlds in New Delhi
Denis Gnezdilov broke the men’s Shot Put F40 world record twice to clinch gold at the Para Worlds in New Delhi, while India’s Dayawanti set a new Asian record in Discus Throw but missed a medal, finishing fourth.
Hyderabad: Denis Gnezdilov strode the Shot Put circle like a colossus, gunning down the men’s F40 World Record twice, in the IndianOil New Delhi 2025 Para World Athletics Championships at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Monday.
Each of his five throws after the opening 10.66m effort was good enough for him to get the gold.
The Rustavi-born 38-year-old was in a league of his own, the 11.85m on his third attempt enabling him to break Paralympic gold medalist Miguel Monteiro’s World Record and the 11.92m on the last throw raise the bar higher.
The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic gold medal winner claimed his third World Championship crown to firmly establish his place in the sport’s history.
Miguel Monteiro (Portugal) and Garrah Tnaiash (Iraq), who have both held the men’s Shot Put F40 World Record earlier, sought to make the final a keen battle. With two former World Champions in the fray, Garrah Tnaiash and Yannis Fischer (Germany), the final expectedly was of a high standard.
The Portugal star led after the first round with 10.92m, but Gnezdilov established his stranglehold in the second round with a 11.59m effort on his second visit.
He did not loosen his grip or take the foot off the pedal, gaining the World Record on his third attempt and, with no hint of complacency despite being assured of hold, rewriting the mark on his last visit.
Dayawanti breaks Asian record but places fourth
Of the Indians on view on Monday morning, Dayawanti had the best placing, a 27.94m effort on her last attempt saw her finish fourth in the women’s Discus Throw F64 final. It fetched her the Asian Record but 1.51m separated her and the bronze medalist Alicia Guerrero (United States of America).
Ayush Verma was fifth in men’s Shot Put F5 final, his best effort of 7.23m falling 97cm short of the bronze medal distance attained by Ales Kisy (Czechia).
Rongali Ravi, a seasoned campaigner, was unable to be in the mix in the dramatic men’s Shot Put F40 final with his season’s best effort of 10.10m falling 76cm short of a podium finish.
There were two other Championship Records that were breached on Monday morning. Poland’s Bartosz Gorczak rewrote the meet mark in the men’s Shot Put F53 final with a 8.67m throw while the women’s Discus Throw F44 final witnessed Mexico’s. Osiris Aneth Machado get gold with 44.36m and a Championship Record.
Poland sent out a second gold medalist on the third day of competition through Faustyna Kotlowska in the women’s Discus Throw F64 final. The two gold medals helped Poland vault to the top of the medal table with four gold and four bronze ahead of Brazil (3 gold, 5 silver, 2 bronze) and China (3-4-3). India is in the 13th spot with 1 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze.
The results (finals):
Men
400m T36: 1. James Turner (Australia) 52.18 seconds; 2. Kirill Glazyrin (Neutral Para Athlete) 52.25; 3. William Stedman 53.05.
Shot Put F40: 1. Denis Gnezdilov (Neutral Para Athlete) 11.92m (New World Record. Old WR: 11.60m, Miguel Monteiro, Portugal, 2022. Old CR: 10.88, Denis Gnezdilov, NPA, 2019); 2. Miguel Monteiro (Portugal) 11.31; 3. Garrah Tnaiash (Iraq) 10.86; 6. Ravi Rongali, 10.10.
Shot Put F53: 1. Bartosz Gorczak (Poland) 8.67m (New Championships Record. Old: 8.42, M Maximo de Jesus, Mexico, 2006); 2. Viachaeslav Kaleev (Neutral Para Athlete) 8.50; 3, Ales Kisy (Czechia) 8.20; 5. Ayush Verma 7.23.
Women
Long Jump T12: 1. Tokutkhon Kholbekova (Uzbekistan) 5.54m; 2. Iida Lounela (Finland) 5.28; 3. Lynda Hamri (Algeria) 5.16.
Discus Throw F44: 1. Osiris Aneth Machado (Mexico) 44.36 (New Championships Record. Old: 43.39, Yao Juan, China, 2015); 2. Samantha Heyison (USA) 40.65, 3. Yao Juan (China) 39.23.
Discus Throw F64: 1. Faustyna Kotlowska (Poland) 38.96m; 2. Jessica Heims (USA) 33.75; 3. Alicia Guerrero (USA) 29.45; 4. Dayawanti 27.94.