Yayesh Gate Tesfaw smashed the women’s 1500m T11 world record, with fellow Ethiopian Tigist Gezahagn Menigstu taking the T13 title on day two of the Kobe 2024 Para Athletics World Championships.

Yayesh staked her claim for gold at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games with a stunning victory, clocking 4:31.77 to break the previous world record by almost six seconds. China’s He Shanshan took silver in a new Asian record.

“I’m extremely happy with this gold and the world record. I’m going for more in Paris,” stated Yayesh afterwards.

Her team-mate Menigstu, who won Ethiopia’s first Paralympic gold at Tokyo 2020, maintained her dominance of the T13 1500m. The 24-year-old ran a new championship record of 4:18.90, five seconds clear of Morocco’s Ezzahra El

Wen Xiaoyan was another Paralympic champion from Tokyo to taste success again in Japan. The Chinese was the only woman to exceed five metres in the women’s long jump T37, setting a new championship record of 5.42m which was just three centimetres shy of her world record from last year.

Algeria had a one-two in the men’s F32 club throw. Ahmed Mehideb’s second-round throw would have been enough for gold but he bettered it three times with a best of 37.61m in the final round. Team-mate Walid Ferhah was second with 36.30m.