PARIS: Defending champion Datuk Abdul Latif Romly’s dreams of completing a hat-trick of gold in the men’s T20 long jump (intellectual disability) failed after managing only a silver medal in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games here, on Saturday (Sept 7).
Matvei Lakushev who competed under the Neutral Paralympic Athlete ticket, leaped to a new record of 7.51 meters (m) in his final attempt to surpass Latif Romly, who initially looked destined to defend his gold with a jump of 7.45m on his third attempt.
Opening the competition at the Stade de France, Latif Romly slightly missed in his first attempt when he jumped 7.22m behind Hassan Dawshi of Saudi Arabia (7.27m).
However, the Perlis athlete who became the world champion in Kobe, Japan, last May, went on to improve the mark on the third jump with a distance of 7.45m.
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Despite arriving in Paris as the favourite, the 27-year-old athlete failed to maintain his pace in the remaining three attempts thus witnessing Lakushev snatch the gold that Latif Rpmly had won in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
Jhon Sebastian Obando Asprilla of Colombia completed the podium with bronze after his best jump of 7.38m in his second attempt .
Latif Romly’s achievement today saw Malaysia add another silver after his teammate, Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli won the country’s first silver in the F20 (intellectual disability) men’s shot put.
The result saw Malaysia’s hopes of winning a third gold medal dashed in Paris.
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