Al Balouchi covered the distance in 13: 25 seconds, ahead of Algerian contender Falah Rasheed and Bahrain’s Mustafa Khalil.

Less than half an hour later, compatriots Ahmed Saif and Hassan Ali won the silver and bronze medals respectively in the 100-metre race T-36 category while the Moroccan runner Fouad Al Harzawi sprinted to the gold.

Later in the afternoon, Mohammed Mabkhoot added another bronze medal in the 100-metre T-12 category. But Mabkhot didn’t have much luck in the 800 metre race which followed and finished disappointingly fifth.

Meanwhile, Ahmed Saif Zaal and Hassan Ali will carry the hopes of the country in the 400-metre for the mentally challenged while Omer Hassan Al Balouchi will try his luck in the 400-metre T-37, Rashid Al Nuaimi will run in the 800-metre and Obaid Al Gharbi will line up for honours in the 400-metre T-46 race.

Today, Ahmed Shaibani, Zaiban Al Muhairi and Jumaa Saeed will take part in the shot put competition while Ahmed Al Shami and Faisal Al Shami will participate in the discus throw for the F-32 category.

According to Dr Ahmed Al Dosary, head of the UAE administrative delegation, everything went according to plan and the success achieved commensurate with the preparations made.

“We did well in karate and cycling and now we see a very good start for the handicapped. I think we needed to do better in some other games like the chess. I understand they did not come with their best players, but this is not always convincing,” he said.

Regarding the equestrian and sailing, Al Dosary said they were unable to take part in the 10th Pan Arab Games for technical reasons which belong to the organisers.

“We could have won more medals in equestrian and sailing, but this is what has happened,” he said.

Silver medallist Maitha Al Balouchi and her three sisters — Moza, Manal and Yasmina — along with Wafa Rashid will lead the UAE challenge in the 34km road race which will start at 9pm from Al Sharafa area in the hilly Mediterranean city today.

“There is nothing easy in sports, but in the light of what we have seen, we have big hopes to have a podium finish in today’s race,” said the UAE coach Abdullah Al Suwaidan.