Iraqi Paralympic athlete Jarrah Nassar celebrates with the Iraqi flag after winning shot put gold at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Nagoya, Japan, on Oct. 21, 2026.
Iraq wins three gold medals at Asian Para Games in Japan
BAGHDAD — Iraqi Paralympic athletes Jarrah Nassar and Mohammed Ridha Zaidan won gold medals in the shot put and men’s 400-meter race, respectively, at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Nagoya, Japan, on Wednesday, raising Iraq’s gold medal tally to three.
Nassar secured the shot put title, adding another international medal to his record, while Zaidan claimed gold in the 400-meter race after finishing first in his event.
Their victories followed Iraqi para table tennis champion Najla Imad’s gold medal on Tuesday in the women’s singles Class 6 competition, giving Iraq three gold medals across table tennis and athletics.
At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, Nassar won bronze in the shot put, contributing to Iraq’s five-medal haul, which included one gold, one silver and three bronze medals.
Imad secured Iraq’s first gold medal at the Nagoya tournament on Tuesday, defeating China’s Liu Xiaowu 3-1 in the women’s singles Class 6 final. She lost only one game throughout the competition, during the final.
The victory added to Imad’s achievements after she became the first Iraqi woman to win Paralympic gold at the 2024 Paris Games, defeating Ukraine’s Maryna Lytovchenko in the table tennis final.