Tehran, Iran, April 12, 2021: Syria’s ace high jumper Majd Eddin Ghazal won the gold medal at an international track and field meet in Iran on Sunday, reports the Syrian Arab News Agency.
Ghazal jumped 2.21 metres in his second competition after a one-year break due to the pandemic to finish first in the inaugural International Athletics Imam Reza Cup.
Ghazal has already qualified for the Tokyo Olympics after coming sixth in the world rankings of 2019.
The 33-year-old Syrian athlete enjoyed a particularly successful 2017, winning the bronze medal at the World Championships and gold at the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. He also won the Asian Championship in Doha in 2019.
Athletes from 12 countries are participating in the first edition of the Imam Reza Cup at Mashhad, Iran, from April 11-12.
The Athletics Federation of Iran said the Imam Reza Cup would serve as a qualification event for Tokyo 2020 and was being held in honour of Iranian athlete Ali Baghbanbashi.
Long-distance runner Baghbanbashi competed in the 1952 and 1956 Olympics and claimed gold in the 5,000 meters at the 1951 Asian Games at New Delhi.