Americas records keep tumbling in Sao Paulo

Brazil had a special day out in the field at the Brazilian Paralympic Training Centre as continental records kept falling during the second day of competition at the Sao Paulo World Para Athletics Grand Prix.

Cicero Nobre stood out as he completed a trio of Americas records* with 47.49m in the men’s javelin F57.

Raissa Machado just missed the world record in the women’s javelin F56 with a 23.96m throw. The 2015 world silver medallist was just seven centimetres short of German Martina Willing’s historic 24.03m performance achieved back in 2008.

It was a similar situation for double world champion Thiago Paulino, who managed 14.87m in the men’s shot put F57 - five centimetres shy of the current 14.87m world record held by Janusz Rokicki of Poland.

Paralympic champion Alessandro Silva threw the discus 43.11m to win the F11 class.

Argentina’s Antonella Ruiz was on form too in the discus F41 and clinched gold with a 24.51m performance.

Paralympic champion and world record-holder Daniel Martins was vigorously challenged by Venezuelan Luis Felipe Rodrigues in the men’s 400m T20.

The Brazilian clocked a season’s best 48.32 seconds while his rival became the second fastest man in the class with 48.66. Martins has been undefeated in international competition since his debut at the Doha 2015 World Championships.

Twenty-three year-old Vitor Antonio de Jesus caused upset in the men’s 200m T37 as he crossed the finish line in 23.16, beating fellow Brazilian and current world champion Mateus Evangelista (23.93).

Brazil finished the day with two more golds in the women’s 400m, the first coming from T12 sprinter Ketyla Teodoro (57.88). Right after that it was Rayane Soares’ turn in the T13 class, as she ran 57.88.

Around 340 athletes from 17 countries are competing at Sao Paulo's World Para Athletics Grand Prix. 

*Records subject to ratification by World Para Athletics