China's Zhong wins men's long jump T38 at Kobe Para Athletics Championships

KOBE, Japan, May 22 (Xinhua) -- China's Zhong Huanghao won the gold medal in the men's long jump T38 final at the Para Athletics World Championships on Wednesday.

Zhong, 25, triumphed with a leap of 6.66 meters on his second attempt at the Universiade Memorial Stadium in Kobe, while his teammate Zhou Peng claimed the bronze with a jump of 6.42 meters.

Both para jumpers achieved their season bests, bringing China's gold medal tally to 17 on the sixth day of competition.

The Kobe 2024 Para Athletics World Championships, held in East Asia for the first time, serve as a crucial qualifier for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. The championships have attracted over 1,000 athletes from 100 countries and regions competing in 168 events.

A total of 73 Chinese para-athletes are competing in the championships, which run until May 25. Originally scheduled for 2021, the event was postponed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.