The International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation (IWAS) World Games saw Georgian and Russian athletes crowned world champions in wheelchair fencing on Thursday (14 February) in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

The 2019 IWAS Wheelchair Fencing Under 23 and under 17 World Championships are taking place as part of the competition until 16 February.

Georgia’s Nino Tibiasvilli retained her title from 2018 in the women’s sabre category A.

The 21-year-old eased past Thailand’s Atittaya Chookerd 15-7 in the final to claim gold.

Hong Kong’s Ka Man Lam, 20, reached her first youth Worlds podium with bronze. France’s Brianna Vide shared third place.

In the men’s 23-year-old Maxim Shaburov also kept hold of his sabre world title after just beating Ukraine’s Artem Manko.

Shaburov’s teammate Oleg Gavrilenkov, 18, took bronze. Germany’s Maurice Schmidt, an IWAS Youth World Games champion from 2016, also finished third.

The IWAS Wheelchair Fencing World Cup, which acted as a qualifier for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, concluded with the team events on Thursday.

The Italian team of Loredana Triglia, Andrea Mogos and Beatrice Vio beat the Russian team of Alena Evdokimova, Iuliia Maya, Irina Mishurova and Viktoria Boykova 45-20.

Hungary grabbed bronze courtesy of Gyongi Dani, Zsuzsanna Krajnyak, Eva Andrea Hajmasi and Boglarka Mezo.

Russia did however manage to claim the top spot in the men’s epee team.

Artur Yusopov, Maxim Shaburov, Roman Fedyaev and Alexander Kuzyukov triumphed over the Polish team of Norbert Calka, Michal Nalewajek, Darius Pender and Kamil Rzasa 45-25.

China were third as Sai Chun Zhong, Gang Sung, Daoliang Hu and Liqiang Chen rounded off the top three.

Full results and schedules are available at the IWAS website.

Badminton

Pramod Bhagat showed why he is the world No.1 in the men’s singles SL3.

The Indian grabbed gold after an unbeaten run that saw him overcome Thailand’s Mongkhon Bunsun 2-0 in the gold medal match.

Bhagat’s teammate Sharad Chandra Joshi claimed bronze.

Bhagat also stepped onto the top of the podium in the mixed doubles SL3 – SU5 with Parul Dalsukhbhai Parmar, also the world No.1 in the women’s SL3.

Bunsun claimed his second silver with Samownkorn Photisuppaiboon. Pakistan’s Zeeshan Gohar joned forces with Iraq’s Raghad Maiesh to take the bronze.

The UAE’s Mohamed Ahmed Alazarooni was the victor in the men’s WH2 ahead of Afghanistan’s Omid Haqjoo. Lebanon’s Naji Yazbek rounded off the podium.

Parmar and Photisuppaiboon also paired-up and took the women’s doubles SL3 – SU5 gold.

Athletics

The men’s 100m T40 podium was an all-Indian affair, led by 22-year-old Balasubramanian Rajkumar (15.54 seconds).

Devappa More (17.25 seconds) and Rajashetty Kollangi (19.95 seconds) were second and third respectively.

Selvaraj Alagappan (618 points) picked up gold for India with his final throw in the men’s javelin F40/41. Croatia’s Vladimir Gaspar (31.11m, 561 points) grabbed silver ahead of India’s Ganesan Karuppaiah (23.19m, 222 points) with bronze.

Norway won their first gold of the IWAS World Games 2019 in the women’s javelin F37/38/44/46.

Ida Nesse, an F44 athlete, threw 33.10m to gain 819 points. The UAE’s Mariam Matroushi was second (702 points) after posting a best throw of 31.06m with her opening attempt.

South Africa’s Simone Kruger was third (21.02m, 607 points).

Canada also reached success on the track as Austin Smeenk (15.72 seconds, 898 points) powered to gold in the men’s 100m T33/34. The UAE bagged another medal with silver from Mohamed Hammadi (15.78 seconds, 888 points). Smeenk’s teammate Lee Leclerc (17.35 seconds, 555 points) was third.

Germany’s Lindy Ave secured her second gold in as many days in the women’s 200m T37/38/45.

Ave (27.36 seconds, 950 points) finished ahead of South Africa’s Sheryl James (31.99 seconds, 616 points). Germany doubled-up on the podium as Isabelle Foerder (34.04 seconds, 377 points) was third.

Algeria’s Kamel Kardjena (9.95m) was the victor in the men’s shot put F33. The rest of the medals were taken by the UAE. Hassan Ali Obai Malaleih (9.62m) and Abdulaziz Alshekailli (9.07m) claimed silver and bronze respectively.

Lahouari Bahlaz (30.54m) took gold for Algeria in the men’s club throw (F32/51, 826 points). Czech Republic teammates Radim Beles (25.35m, 796 points) and Frantisek Serbus (27.91m, 709 points)

Thailand’s Putharet Khongrak (25.86 seconds) led the field in the men’s 200m T54. Saudi Arabia’s Jamaan Alzahrani (26.92 seconds) got silver while Canada’s Isaiah Christophe (27.48 seconds) took bronze.

Khongrak (3:16.06) also went on to cross the finish line first in the men’s 1,500m T54. Germany’s Alhassane Balde was not far behind, following in 3:16.33. Canada’s Alexandre Dupont (3:17.13) was third.

Table tennis

There was a shock at the American University Sharjah as home athletes and world No.1 Yousuf Alkaabli lost out to Kazakhstan’s Ali Makhulbekov in the men’s standing.

South Korea’s Sun Gil Kim was third.

In the men’s wheelchair division Thailand topped the podium. Yuttajak Glinbanchuen overcame South Korea’s Byung Jun Song.

Glinbanchuen’s compatriot Norakan Chanpahaka was third.

Thailand’s Panwas Sringam was the victor in the women’s wheelchair division. Sringham beat teammate Wassana Sringam to gold.

Hong Kong’s Wing Ki Yuen rounded off the top three.

Hungary’s Bettina Bicsak won the women’s standing after beating India’s Poonam Poonam.

Swimming

India enjoyed a great day in the pool at the American University Sharjah.

Swapnil Sanjay Patil (475 points), 21, dominated the higher class men’s 400m freestyle featuring S8 and S10 swimmers.

Teammate Chetan Giridhhar Raut (367 points) was second. Punith Nandakumar (355 points), also from India, was third.

In the men’s 100m breaststroke, SB7 swimmer Suyash Narayan Jadhav (399 points) took gold.

Eighteen-year-old Afrid Mukhatar Attar (326 points) was second and Punith Nandakumar (310 points) third.

Thailand’s Monruedee Kangpila took home two golds on Thursday. Kangpila topped the podium in the women’s 100m breaststroke and 100m butterfly.

The 2019 IWAS World Games continue until 16 February. More than 500 athletes from 50 countries are competing in seven sports across three venues.