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AFGHAN athlete Hossain Rasouli finally got his chance to participate in the Paralympics today after his escape from Kabul last week.
Rasouli and teammate Zakia Khudadadi got to Tokyo on Saturday after being evacuated, and have been sequestered in the Paralympic village for reasons of privacy and safety.
Rasouli, primarily a sprinter, arrived too late in Japan for his customary event and instead took part in the long jump in the T47 class — his only appearance at these games.
Unsurprisingly he finished last in the 13-man competition with a jump of 4.46 meters. The winning jump was 7.46m, by Cuban athlete Robiel Yankiel Sol Cervantes.
IPC spokesman Craig Spence said Rasouli had nonetheless been excited to compete.
“He had done long jump previously but it was his first long jump in a major competition,” the official said. “It was a very special occasion. That’s as much as I’ll say.”
Khudadadi is set to become the first female Afghan athlete to compete in the Paralympics since 2004 when she challenges in the 44-49-kilogram weight category in taekwondo on Thursday.
