Ghana’s medal hopes boosted as Zinabu Issah reaches Paralympic shot put final

Ghana’s female shotput athlete Zinabu Issah has qualified for the sitting shot put final at the ongoing Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in the F57 category following an impressive performance with a throw of 8.67 meters.

Zinabu Issah’s outstanding throw propels her to the top of her group, ahead of Vetokhina of Russia in second place with a throw of 7.93m, while Meyers and Houndalowan of Liberia and Benin respectively take third and fourth places with throws of 6.42m and 6.11m in the group phase.

Zinabu qualified for the finals with a  new PB (8.67) and would be competing in the finals at the Stade France on Thursday which increased Ghana’s chances of clinching a medal at the ongoing Para Olympic Games.

Ghana made its Paralympic Games début at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, where the nation sent three representatives to compete in two sports.

Since then, Ghana has made five consecutive appearances at the Para Olympic Games (2008,2012,2016,2020 and 2024)

No Ghanaian has ever won a medal at the Paralympic Games since the nation made its debut in 2002.

In a star-studded finals lineup at the Stade de France in Paris on Thursday, Zinabu Issah will battle against top contenders like Xu Mian, a silver medalist from the 2020 Tokyo Para Olympics, Safia Djelal, the 2020 Para Olympics gold medal winner, Para Olympics record holder (11.29)  and World record holder(11.67m).

Is Zinabu Issah the key to unlocking Ghana’s first Para Olympics medal in twenty years?

Story by : Rabbi Adu Agyei

The post Ghana’s medal hopes boosted as Zinabu Issah reaches Paralympic shot put final first appeared on 3News.

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