NATIONAL shot put record holder Akeem Stewart imitated female compatriot Cleopatra Borel’s gold medal performance at the just-concluded Central American and Caribbean Games in Mexico when he won gold in the men’s shot put at the Mexican Open Para-Athletics Championships 2014, also in Mexico, yesterday.
Stewart’s winning distance of 18.70 metres at the Athletic Track of the National Center (CNAR) established a new world record for the F44 category, shattering the previous record of 18.38m
Similar to Borel, Stewart was also successful in defending the title, which he captured last year in Medellin , Colombia, with a throw of 17.49m.
Stewart, who also competes in open events, gained classification as a Para-athlete in the F44 category last year. The F44 category is for athletes with a disability to the lower extremities to of the leg. He can now qualify to compete at both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.