Kobe 2024: Four times Brazil, four times Ferreira on day one

The best of the best in the world have all come together for nine straight days of competition at the Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium. And the day one of the Kobe 2024 Para Athletics World Championships saw two world records, 13 new world champions crowned and Brazil getting the taste of gold not once or twice, but four times.

Brazil topped the podium twice in the morning session, including two gold-silver results and one world record. Yeltsin Jacques took gold and a world record in the men’s 5000m T11 in 14:53.97. With a massive surge with 2.5 laps to go, there was concern that he broke ahead too early, but he kept the pace as he smashed the previous world record by more than a second. That previous world record was held by Japan’s Kenya Karasawa, who would finish in bronze. 

“I’m really happy because it was a strong race with many athletes reaching personal and season bests. But we controlled the race well, we started in the back but then push a stronger pace in the last 1,500 metres,” said Jacques.

Julio Cesar Agripino dos Santos set a personal best while getting silver, the only other runner who finished in under 15 minutes.

Zileide Cassiano da Silva was the best on the day in the women’s long jump T20 with a 5.80m jump in her fourth attempt. In fact, all but one of her attempts were far enough to secure gold. Fellow Brazilian Debora Oliveira de Lima nabbed second with a leap of 5.54m.

“It wasn’t easy as we were a bit nervous. But one supported the other and we managed to take the medals with another one-two to Brazil,” said Cassiano.

Turkey’s Fatma Damla Altin got the last spot on the podium with a 5.43m jump.

Gold and record for Calcagni 

Italy’s Carlo Calcagni broke another world record Friday morning winning the men’s 100m T72 in 15.39, besting his own record by more than 0.4 seconds. Calcagni was followed by Vinicius Marques Krieger Quintino of Brazil, and Lithuania’s Deividas Podobajevas got bronze with a season best 17.82.

“It’s a very good day and all is possible if you want. Never give up, it’s my focus,” Calcagni said.

In the women’s shot put F41 event, Tunisian Paralympic legend Rauoa Tlili nabbed her 11th world title with a 10.15m throw in her last try. Uzbekistan’s Kubara Khamikova was not far behind in silver with a 9.88m attempt, and Mayerli Buitrago Ariza of Colombia rounded out the top three with a 9.21m throw in her first attempt.

Colombia’s Erica Castano won the women’s discus throw F55 as her third throw went 26.88m, a personal best, more than a half-meter further than China’s Feixia Dong. Mexico’s Rosa Maria Guerrero Cazares found her way to bronze with a 25.80m throw on her penultimate attempt.

Poland’s Magdalena Andruszkiewicz won the women’s 100m T72 setting a European record with a time of 17.51 seconds. Spain’s Judith Tortosa Vila followed the leader with a career best 18.53, and Sayers Grooms of the United States took bronze with a mark of 19.02 to finish off the morning session.

Imperial guests

Following an opening ceremony that had the presence of Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko, in the evening, medals were given out for seven events.  

China happily took all three medals in the men’s long jump T11. Chen Shichang, in his World Para Athletics Championship debut, made a statement with a championship record 6.62m jump in his second attempt. Di Dongdong and Ye Tao went back and forth for silver, and Di edged out Ye by 2cm in his last two attempts.

Jiang Fenfen of China led the pack in the women’s 400m T37, taking the title with a time of 1:02.48, three seconds faster than silver medal-winning neutral Para athlete Viktoriia Slanova. South Africa's Liezel Gouws finished in third with a season best time.

As sunset came to Kobe, Brazil went back on top of the podium. Petrucio Ferreira dos Santos continued his fantastic career, becoming a four-time Para Athletics World Championships winner in the men’s 100m T47. It was a tight race, with first through fourth place finishing within one-tenth of a second within one another. Poland’s Michal Derus and China’s Wang Hao in fact finished one-thousandth of a second apart for silver and bronze, respectively.

“The work we build before these major events and to come here and deliver 100 per cent makes me really happy. It’s a career of 11 years and you ended up getting more anxious. The T47 is one of the classes that has developed the most and this race showed this. To be the fastest in the world is to inspire more people and more athletes,” Ferreira said.

Sixth for Arnold

Hollie Arnold of Great Britain was the only one in the women’s javelin throw F46 to break the 40m mark. And she did it not just once, but twice, finishing with a 40.89m throw for her sixth world title. Saska Sokolov of Serbia just edged out Noelle Roorda of the Netherlands by 14cm for silver.

“Honestly it was amazing. I have been worried sick the last two days but as soon as I walked out onto the track, I was like ‘game time, gladiator on’. The emotion came out when I threw the first plus 40m. After a tough year last year, I’m so pleased to come back with two consecutive world titles,” said Arnold, who has six World Championships gold medals to her name. 

Uzbekistan’s Kudratillokhon Marufkhujaev’s second attempt in the men’s shot put F37 went 15.68m, a career best and far enough for a gold medal. Neutral Para athlete Albert Khinchagov finished second with a season best 15.51m in his last attempt, and Tunisia’s Ahmed Ben Moslah rounded out the podium with a 15.34m throw.

Bulgaria’s Ruzhdi Ruzhdi, the F55 championship record holder, defended his title with a 12.04m throw followed by Nebojsa Duric from Serbia with 11.57m. Neutral athlete Zamir Shkakhov earned the bronze (11.42).

The women’s club throw F32 went down to the wire to finish off the first night, and Brazil came away with another two medals. Wanna Brito set a championship record with a 26.66m throw, besting the previous record by more than two meters. Maroua Ibrahimi, the previous record holder, was the last to compete and finished just 6 centimeters behind. Brazil also took the bronze with Giovanna Boscolo's final throw.

With that performance, Brazil picked up eight medals on the first day, half of them gold. China also had a strong outing on Friday, picking up two of each kind of medal. 

Kobe 2024 is being streamed live on the World Para Athletics Facebook page and the Paralympics YouTube channel.

Click here for complete schedule, all results, medallists and records from Kobe 2024.