Jamil El Shebli claimed Jordan’s third Paralympic gold of Tokyo 2020, after a hard-fought competition in the men’s +107kg category, that resulted in Mena countries dominating the podium in Japan.
After an intense contest of the tightest of margins with Iran’s Mansour Pourmirzaei, El Shebli did enough to secure his first Paralympic title winning by bodyweight. Pourmirzaei took silver, with Iraq’s Al-Ageeli claiming bronze.
It was nothing short of a strategic masterclass by El Shebli that earned him his first Paralympic title. By starting with the heaviest weight on his attempt, the 42-year-old was the last to lift in each round.
This advantage allowed the Rio bronze medalist to follow the progress of his Iranian rival, and being 25kg lighter than Mourmirzaei, he knew that he would just have to match him on attempts to surpass him on the results board.
This left it to the 40-year-old Iranian to set the bar on the second attempt, lifting 241kg, which El Shebli matched. It was then on the final lift, the Iranian raised the weight and the bar to 246kg. It was an ambitious increase, a risk that failed to pay off as he was unable to complete the lift. By the time El Shebli went under the bar, the gold medal was already his.
El Shebli was clearly pleased on the podium as he collected his prize, it had been a long-time coming. This was the man from Amman’s fifth Paralympics, having competed in the shot put in Athen’s and Beijing where he won silver, and then finished fourth in London 2012.
In Rio 2016, he switched to powerlifting and earned bronze in a final that was dominated by a legend now sorely missed in the sport.
It was an emotional final for Pourmirzaei, who if he had won said he would dedicate his gold medal to the memory of the legendary Siamand Rahman, the Iranian powerlifting legend who had won gold in +100kg weight category in 2012 and +107kg category in 2016.
Rahman, whose astounding world record of 310kg, set in Rio 2016, is almost 70kg heavier than the heaviest lift today, died following a cardiac arrest in March 2020.
It was an impressive performance too from Iraq’s Faris Al-Ageeli. The London 2012 silver-medalist was the only competitor to complete all three lifts, comfortably securing him the bronze medal.
All attention, rightly, will be now on the Jordanian’s record powerlifting haul. El Shebli closed out what has been a remarkable campaign for the Jordan powerlifters. His gold is added to Abdelkareem Khattab’s record-breaking win in the men’s -88kg final and Omar Qarada’s gold in the men’s -49kg class last Thursday.
Up until this games, Jordan had only won a single Paralympic gold medal, which was in table tennis in Sydney 2000. In the confines of the Tokyo International Forum, Jordan’s powerlifters have quadrupled the kingdom’s all-time gold medal tally, placing them firmly on the map as a dominant force in strength sports.
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
Banthology: Stories from Unwanted Nations
Edited by Sarah Cleave, Comma Press
Spare
Profile
Company name: Spare
Started: March 2018
Co-founders: Dalal Alrayes and Saurabh Shah
Based: UAE
Sector: FinTech
Investment: Own savings. Going for first round of fund-raising in March 2019
The Breadwinner
Director: Nora Twomey
Starring: Saara Chaudry, Soma Chhaya, Laara Sadiq
Three stars
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Bharatanatyam
A ancient classical dance from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Intricate footwork and expressions are used to denote spiritual stories and ideas.
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Results
Catchweight 60kg: Mohammed Al Katheeri (UAE) beat Mostafa El Hamy (EGY) TKO round 3
Light Heavyweight: Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) no contest Kevin Oumar (COM) Unintentional knee by Oumer
Catchweight 73kg: Yazid Chouchane (ALG) beat Ahmad Al Boussairy (KUW) Unanimous decision
Featherweight: Faris Khaleel Asha (JOR) beat Yousef Al Housani (UAE) TKO in round 2 through foot injury
Welterweight: Omar Hussein (JOR) beat Yassin Najid (MAR); Split decision
Middleweight: Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) beat Sallah Eddine Dekhissi (MAR); Round-1 TKO
Lightweight: Abdullah Mohammed Ali Musalim (UAE) beat Medhat Hussein (EGY); Triangle choke submission
Welterweight: Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW) beat Sofiane Oudina (ALG); Triangle choke Round-1
Lightweight: Mohammad Yahya (UAE) beat Saleem Al Bakri (JOR); Unanimous decision
Bantamweight: Ali Taleb (IRQ) beat Nawras Abzakh (JOR); TKO round-2
Catchweight 63kg: Rany Saadeh (PAL) beat Abdel Ali Hariri (MAR); Unanimous decision
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ENGLAND SQUAD
Joe Root (c), Moeen Ali, Jimmy Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Alastair Cook, Sam Curran, Keaton Jennings, Ollie Pope, Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes, James Vince, Chris Woakes
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – UAE won by 36 runs
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
Results
2.30pm: Park Avenue – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 2,000m; Winner: Rb Seqondtonone, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
3.05pm: Al Furjan – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Bosphorus, Dane O’Neill, Bhupat Seemar
3.40pm: Mina – Rated Condition (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Royal Mews, Tadhg O’Shea, Bhupat Seemar
4.15pm: Aliyah – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,900m; Winner: Ursa Minor, Ray Dawson, Ahmad bin Harmash
4.50pm: Riviera Beach – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 2,200m; Winner: Woodditton, Saif Al Balushi, Ahmad bin Harmash
5.25pm: Riviera – Handicap (TB) Dh2,000 (T) 2,000m; Winner: Al Madhar, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
6pm: Creek Views – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Al Salt, Dane O’Neill, Erwan Charpy
