How Did Ruzhdi Achieve His Sixth Successive Shot Put Gold with a World Record?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Ruzhdi’s throw of 12.94m establishes a new world record.
- He has won gold in every edition of the World Championships since 2015.
- Abdul Latif Romly achieved a historic trifecta in Long Jump T20.
- Volodymyr Ponomarenko set a world record in Shot Put T12.
- Nassima Saifi dominated in the women’s Discus Throw F57.
New Delhi, Sep 28 (NationPress) Bulgaria’s Ruzhdi secured his sixth consecutive gold medal in the men’s Shot Put F55 event at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Sunday.
His remarkable performance included a new World Record of 12.94m, contributing to a session that featured three world records.
Malaysia’s Abdul Latif Romly achieved a trifecta of gold medals in the men’s Long Jump T20 with a world record jump of 7.67m, while Ukraine’s Volodymyr Ponomarenko established a men’s Shot Put T12 world record with 17.39m on his second attempt, decisively clinching the victory.
The 34-year-old Ruzhdi, revered as a legend, propelled the iron ball to a distance of 12.94m on his final throw, surpassing his previous record of 12.69m set at the World Championships in Paris two years prior. Serbia’s Nebojsa Duric managed six throws exceeding 12m, yet Ruzhdi outperformed Duric’s best of 12.52m with five superior throws.
Despite surviving a car accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down, Ruzhdi has consistently claimed gold since the 2015 Championships in Doha. His ability to excel during critical moments was highlighted as he shattered the World Record for the third time while winning gold.
Abdul Latif Romly added to his accolades with a hat-trick of World Championships men’s Long Jump T20 titles. His world record was the icing on the cake for the 28-year-old, who has garnered five golds and a silver, with his only defeat occurring at the 2019 Championships in Dubai.
Ukraine’s Volodymyr Ponomarenko set a men’s Shot Put T12 world record with a 17.39m throw on his second attempt, decisively clinching gold as Latvia’s Emils Dzilna could only manage 16.63m.
Nassima Saifi faced little challenge in securing her sixth consecutive gold in the women’s Discus Throw F57, with all five valid throws exceeding 32m, while China’s Tian Yuxin managed a best of 30.30m.
Catherine Debrunner from Switzerland impressively won the women’s 5000m T54 race, outpacing China’s defending champion Tian Yajuan and teammate Patricia Eachus. Debrunner’s powerful arm movements propelled her into the lead shortly after the 3km mark, ultimately earning her a second 5000m gold medal.