Shaikh Mohammed lauds Khalaf for UAE's first gold at Rio Paralympics

Dubai - 2004 Paralympics gold medallist overcame home Brazilian favourite Evanio da Solva

His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has lauded 47-year-old Mohammed Khamis Khalaf for securing UAE's first gold at Rio paralympics.

In a tweet he said, "Proud of our lifting player Mohammed for winning the gold medal at the games at Rio de Janeiro."

Forty seven year old Mohammed Khamis Khalaf has kept his promise he gave just before boarding the flight to Brazil, a week ago.

The five-time Paralympian brushed aside the field to win gold in superb fashion in the men's 88kg category of the men's powerlifting competition at the Rio Paralympics on Tuesday.

Going into the final rounds after gathering steam slowly but steadily, the 2004 Paralympics gold medallist, literally blew away the rest of the field.

Brazilian home favourite Evanio da Solva totalled 210kg in his attempts to clinch silver while Mongolia's Adnoompiljee Enkhbayar who was relegated to the bronze berth after the countback and weight difference clauses were applied.

Khalaf told Khaleej Times a week ago that his is a dual role for the UAE. "I have experience which I can readily pass on to the next generation of the participants in Rio especially taking the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics into consideration.

"In 2012 in London I was disappointed as I was supposed to come home with a medal. Four years have gone by and I have trained harder and I have to at least promise this time that I will with God's help return to the UAE with a medal."

The UAE are fielding a three-member powerlifting team for the Rio Para Games. Young Ahmed Khamis Albaloushi will challenge the WFJ2 field while woman lifter Haifa Naqbi will be making her Paralympic debut.

Albaloushi has recovered well after the serious injury he suffered during the London 2012 Paralympics.

The UAE have so far won one gold and two silvers (Abdulla Sultan Alryani's in men's rifle shooting) in the Games which ends on September 18.

Khalaf's first major international achievement came in 1999 when he won the New Zealand and Australian Open, and a bronze in the European Open in Hungary in the same year.

Khalaf was initiated into the sport after seeing athletes train at the Dubai Club for the Physically Disabled in Qusais, and he has a trophy showcase containing the 14 gold medals, four silvers and two bronzes he has won since 1999 in competitions across Europe and Asia. His uncle motivated him further with coaching and the right kind of tips for him to go far in the discipline.

With 528 gold medals to be handed out in just 11 days of competition, the Rio Paralympics is a packed programme of action, thrills and para sports which today have reached high performance levels at an astonishing rate.

• Sports