Saudi Arabia at the Paralympics

Summary

Saudi Arabia made its Paralympic Games début at the 1996 Summer Paralympics in Atlanta, with two competitors in powerlifting. The country has participated in every subsequent edition of the Summer Paralympics, but has never entered the Winter Paralympics. All Saudis have competed in athletics or powerlifting.[1]

Saudi Arabia at the
Paralympics
IPC codeKSA
NPCParalympic Committee of Saudi Arabia
Medals
Gold
1
Silver
2
Bronze
2
Total
5
Summer appearances

Saudi Arabia has won a total of four medals, two through Osamah Alshanqiti in 2008. Alshanqiti was the Kingdom's first Paralympic champion when he set a world record of 15.37m in the triple jump, F12 category. His other medal was a silver in the long jump, with a result of 7.06m, behind South Africa's Hilton Langenhoven (7.31m).[2] The other two medals belong to Hani Alnakhli, with a silver in 2012 and a bronze in 2016.

Saudi Arabia has only ever sent male athletes to compete in the Paralympics, as women in the country are barred from taking part in international sports events. There has reportedly been some pressure on the country to allow women competitors for the 2012 Games,[3] but when a delegation of Saudi Arabia's Disabled Sports Federation Powerlifting Team visited the facilities for the London Games in 2009, its athletes were all men.[4]

Medal tables edit

Medals by Summer Games edit

Games Athletes Gold Silver Bronze Total Rank
1996 Atlanta 2 0 0 0 0
2000 Sydney 4 0 0 0 0
2004 Athens 6 0 0 0 0
2008 Beijing 3 1 1 0 2 48
2012 London 4 0 1 0 1 67
2016 Rio de Janeiro 3 0 0 1 1 76
2020 Tokyo 7 0 0 1 1 78
Total 1 2 2 5 75

Medals by Summer sport edit

SportGoldSilverBronzeTotal
  Athletics1225
Totals (1 entries)1225

Medalists edit

Medal Name Games Sport Event
  Gold Osamah Alshanqiti   2008 Beijing Athletics Men's triple jump F12
  Silver Osamah Alshanqiti   2008 Beijing Athletics Men's long jump F12
  Silver Hani Alnakhli   2012 London Athletics Men's discus throw F32-34
  Bronze Hani Alnakhli   2016 Rio de Janeiro Athletics Men's shot put F33
  Bronze Abdulrahman Al-Qurashi   2020 Tokyo Athletics Men's 100 metres T53

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Saudi Arabia at the Paralympics, International Paralympic Committee
  2. ^ Saudi Arabia at the Paralympics, International Paralympic Committee
  3. ^ "Saudi women vie for Olympic rights", BBC, June 13, 2008
  4. ^ "Saudi Arabian Powerlifter's visit Stoke Mandeville Stadium", South East England Development Agency, June 17, 2009