By Hishan Welmilla
Achi-Nagoya Sri Lanka’s Mohamed Safran secured a bronze medal in the men’s long jump T47 event at the 5th Asian Para Games, producing an impressive final attempt to finish on the podium.
Safraz leapt 6.55 metres in his final attempt to claim third place, delivering a crucial performance when it mattered most. His effort also pushed his teammate Yoosoof Salmaan out of medal contention after Salmaan had been in a strong position heading into the final round.
Salmaan, who had recorded a jump of 6.40 metres, was placed third before the final attempts. However, he could manage only 6.28 metres in his last jump, which was not enough to retain his podium position. As a result, Salmaan finished fourth, narrowly missing out on a medal in a closely contested competition between the two Sri Lankan athletes.
India’s Nishad Kumar claimed the gold medal with an outstanding jump of 7.11 metres, while Uzbekistan’s Omadbek Khasanov secured the silver medal with a distance of 6.99 metres.
Safran’s bronze medal added another achievement to Sri Lanka’s campaign at the Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, highlighting the country’s growing competitiveness in para athletics.
Although Salmaan narrowly missed the podium, his performance demonstrated Sri Lanka’s strength in the event, with two athletes challenging for medals against some of Asia’s leading long jumpers.
Safran’s decisive final jump proved to be the defining moment of the competition for Sri Lanka, ensuring the national flag was represented on the medal podium.
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