Paris 23: Elizabeth Gomes' secret recipe takes her to top of podium again

Brazil’s Elizabeth Rodrigues Gomes soared to new heights with a new shot put world record and her compatriot Claudiney Batista dos Santos also won gold in the men’s discus at the Paris 2023 World Para Athletics Championships on Wednesday morning (July 12).

The outstanding performances by the teammates were among the highlights of the morning session that saw seven athletes crowned champions, with world records also set by USA’s Breanna Clark in the women’s 400m T20 and Uzbekistan’s Doniyor Saliev in the men’s long jump F12. Great Britain’s Hollie Arnold notched up her fifth consecutive world championship title in the women’s javelin F46.

Gomes, the reigning Paralympic women’s discus F53 champion, has now added the shot put world title to her impressive list of achievements. The 58-year-old smashed the world record she had set earlier this year to land a 7.75m throw at the Charlety Stadium in the French capital. 

Speaking about how she has stayed at the top of Para sports for so many years, Gomes said: “My secret? I ask myself the same question. But as I say, it is determination, dedication, it’s to respect your body and your life. And also listen to your coach, because without the coach we are nothing.”

There was just one centimetre between the second and third places. Uzbekistan’s Nurkhon Kurbanova, the bronze medallist from Tokyo 2020, upgraded to a silver with a season’s best of 7.38m. The reigning Paralympic and world champion, Chile’s Francisca Mardones, claimed bronze. The former wheelchair tennis star’s best throw was 7.37cm.

It was also a great start to day five of the Championships for Batista, too. The reigning Paralympic and world champion lead from his first throw to set a championship record in 46.07m. India’s Yogesh Kathuniya upgraded the bronze he won at the Dubai edition in 2019 to claim silver in 43.17 with Slovakia’s Dusan Laczko landing the bronze (42.70).

USA’s Breanna Clark sprinted into the history books with a world record in the women’s 400m T20. The reigning Paralympic and world champion set a blistering pace from the start only easing off around the 300m mark. Ukraine’s Yuliia Shuliar took advantage and was on her heels before Clark sped off again in the last 50m finishing at least 10m ahead of her rival to finish in 55.12. Shuliar set a season’s best of 56.29. Portugal’s Carina Paim retained the bronze medal position from Dubai (58.51).

Uzbekistan’s Doniyer Saliev equalled the world record set 14 years ago in the men’s long jump F12 and secured the country’s second gold medal of the morning. The reigning world champion had hung in the air long enough to land in 7.47m. Iran’s Paralympic champion Amir Khosravani secured silver and lifetime’s best in 7.26m. Azerbaijan’s Said Najafzade, who won bronze in Tokyo 2020, claimed the third spot on the podium with a jump of 7.11m.

Fifth time for Arnold

Saliev’s teammate Bobirjon Omonov fought off an experienced field to win gold in the men’s shot put F41. The Paralympic and world champion landed his throw in 14.73m and set a championship record.

Elsewhere on the field, Great Britain’s Hollie Arnold won her fifth World Championship crown in the women’s javelin F46. The 29-year-old, who claimed her first world title in Lyon in 2013, threw a season’s best of 41.06m to secure the top spot on the podium. But the other two places were not as predicted.

Her greatest rival for many years, New Zealand’s Holly Robinson, did not feature in the medals. The Paralympic champion and silver medallist in Dubai four years ago, was edged out by Serbia’s Saska Sokolov, who threw a lifetime’s best of 39.96m to claim silver. Venezuela’s Naibys Morillo Gil retained the bronze she won in Dubai.

Arnold was elated with her win. “I’m really overwhelmed and just so happy. It meant so much to me,” she said. “My first ever World Championships was back in 2013 in Lyon and to be able to come here ten years later and win my fifth consecutive world title, it’s just amazing. I’ve thrown the best this year, after a rough few years’ throwing, so to be able to go out and throw 41m and win this competition, I’m over the moon.”

In the second track final of the session, the men’s 400m T54, China’s Yang Hu beat off a challenge from his teammate Yungqiang Dai to win gold in 46.26. Dai, who won bronze in Dubai in 2019, kept his third place in 46.26. Thailand’s Athiwat Paeng-Nuea claimed silver in 46.23.

The action resumes at 6:30PM (Central European Summer Time) with Wednesday's evening session. Complete schedule, and results from Paris 23 are available here.

The Paris 2023 Para Athletics World Championships will be streamed live on the World Para Athletics Facebook page with geo-blocking restrictions in certain territories. More information is available here.