Afghanistan at the 2004 Summer Paralympics
| Afghanistan at the 2004 Summer Paralympics | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||||||
| IPC code | AFG | ||||||||
| NPC | Afghanistan Paralympic Committee | ||||||||
| in Athens | |||||||||
| Competitors | 2 in 2 sports | ||||||||
| Medals Ranked 76th |
| ||||||||
| Summer Paralympics appearances | |||||||||
Afghanistan participated in the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, Greece. It was reportedly the country's first "official" appearance at the Paralympic Games,[1] although two cyclists had already competed for Afghanistan in 1996. The delegation consisted of two competitors, Mareena Karim and Qaher Hazrat.[2][3] A third competitor, runner Sharifa Ahmadi, was registered for the games but did not participate.[4]
Karim was a fourteen-year-old runner who competed in the 100-metre T46 event. Karim's feet were amputated when she was an infant after they were severely burned. She began proper training only two months before the games.[5] In the first round of the 100 metre race, she finished last with a time of 18.85 seconds and did not advance to the next round.[4]
The other team member was twenty-two-year-old cyclist Qaher Hazrat,[2] who lost both legs below the knee after stepping on a land mine in 1996 during the country's civil war.[1] Hazrat competed in the men's road race/time trial LC3 event and, with 26 points, finished last out of fourteen cyclists.[6]
Karim and Hazrat trained at Kabul's National Stadium under Sultan Mahmood, who had participated in the 1980 Summer Olympics as a wrestler.[1]
See also
External links
References
- 1 2 3 De Jong, Antoinette (2004). "Disabled Afghan athletes ready for Paralympics 2004". Afghan Amputee Bicyclists for Rehabilitation and Recreation. Archived from the original on 2008-06-07. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
- 1 2 "Athlete Profile - HAZRAT Qaher". International Paralympic Committee. April 8, 2004. Archived from the original on 2005-11-17. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
- ↑ Afghanistan at the Paralympics on paralympic.org
- 1 2 "ATHENS 2004 Paralympic Games - Athletics - Women's 100 m T46". International Paralympic Committee. 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
- ↑ Hudson, Elizabeth (19 September 2004). "Paralympic diary: Day three". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
- ↑ "ATHENS 2004 Paralympic Games - Cycling (Road) - Men's Road Race / Time Trial Bicycle LC3". International Paralympic Committee. 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-08.