Haider Ali (athlete)

Haider Ali (born in Pakistan on December 12, 1984) is an all-round Pakistani athlete [Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, Atheltes and Teams, http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRMP/ENG/BIO/Athlete/3/1208043.shtml] who created history in 2008 Summer Paralympics; by winning a silver medal for his country, which had never won a medal in Paralympic games before.

Beijing Paralympics 2008

Haider who suffers from Cerebral Palsy competed against 4,200 athletes from as many as 148 nations, in thirteenth Paralympics held at Beijing in China, in 2008. He took part in T-38 Category men’s long jump and covered a distance of 6.44 meter, winning a silver medal. [Associated Press of Pakistan "Pakistan’s Haider Ali creates history by winning silver medal in Long Jump in Paralympics Games.", http://www.app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=52159&Itemid=40] A Tunisian athlete Farhat Chida who covered the same distance won a gold medal because of making six successful jumps overall; whereas Haider’s second and fifth jumps had got rejected but he managed to equal Chida in his last attempt.

Both Haider and Farhat Chida made a total of 1104 points each through their 6.44 meters jump, which is also a new world record in the Games for people with disabilities. ["Haider Ali proves there is life after the Olympic Games!" by Gul Hameed Bhatti, http://www.geosuper.tv/articles.asp?id=398]

In addition to T-38 Category, Haider also participated in three other games. In 100 meters T38 sprint he was ranked ninth among nine runners, in 200 meters race against 7 runners he came fifth and in the Discuss Throw F37/38 where he was close to winning a bronze medal but his points tally of 986 fell just seven short of Dong Xia of China, who compiled 1003 points and took third place. [PDF Result for Discuss Throw, http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRMP/ENG/INF/AT/C73S/ATM606101.pdf]

Previously, Haider Ali has won a gold medal for Pakistan in the long jump event at the KL’06 FESPIC Games held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in November-December 2006.

References

External References

Overall Medal Standings on Official Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games Website, [http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRMP/ENG/INF/GL/95A/GL0000000.shtml]