Paralympic champion Najla Imad apologizes after silver-medal finish in China

BAGHDAD — Iraqi Paralympic gold medalist Najla Imad apologized to supporters after taking silver at the Asian Championship in China, saying illness kept her from performing at her best in the final match.

Imad, 19, wrote on social media that she had won four straight matches — defeating opponents from India, Hong Kong, Thailand, and South Korea without dropping a set — before falling to a Chinese player she had beaten twice previously.

“I had the flu and only slept one hour before the final,” she wrote. “The lack of rest kept me from performing well, and I lost to the Chinese player I had beaten twice before. I sincerely apologize to myself and to everyone for not achieving gold.”

Despite the loss, Imad called the experience a valuable lesson. “Losing isn’t a disaster — it’s a lesson. If I don’t lose, how will I learn or stay motivated?” she said, adding that she plans to step away from social media temporarily to focus on training. “I will fight and never give up,” she wrote.

Imad rose to national prominence after winning Iraq’s first Paralympic gold medal at the Paris 2024 Games, where she defeated world No. 1 Maryna Lytovchenko of Ukraine in the women’s class six table tennis event. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani called the achievement “a humanitarian message that transcended the ordeal of terrorism.”

Last month, she earned a bronze medal at the Arab Clubs Championship in Muscat while representing Al-Kahraba Club, her first tournament competing alongside able-bodied athletes. She described it as “one of the best steps in my sporting career” and thanked her coach, Haider Salim Al-Saadi, and the club’s leadership for their continued support.

Born in Diyala governorate, Imad lost both legs and her right arm at the age of three when an explosive device detonated inside her father’s military vehicle. A recent high school graduate, she has said she hopes to study media while continuing her athletic career.