The Gambia at the 2016 Summer Paralympics

The Gambia sent a delegation to compete at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7–18 September 2016. This was the nation's second appearance at a Paralympics, following their first participation in the 2012 London Paralympics. The Gambia sent one athlete, Demba Jarju, who failed to advance from his heat in the men's 100 meters T54 event.

The Gambia at the
2016 Summer Paralympics
IPC codeGAM
NPCGambia National Paralympic Committee
in Rio de Janeiro
Competitors1 in 1 sports
Flag bearer Demba Jarju
Medals
Gold
0
Silver
0
Bronze
0
Total
0
Summer Paralympics appearances (overview)

Background

The Gambia had made its debut in Paralympic competition at the 2012 Summer Paralympics.,[1] but have never won a Paralympic medal.[2] The Gambia has participated in every Summer Olympic Games since the 1984 Los Angeles Games.[3] The 2016 Summer Paralympics were held from 7–18 September 2016 with a total of 4,328 athletes representing 159 National Paralympic Committees taking part.[4] The only athlete sent by the Gambia to Rio was Demba Jarju.[5] He was chosen as the flag bearer for the opening ceremony.[6]

Disability classifications
Main article: Disability sport classification

Every participant at the Paralympics has their disability grouped into one of five disability categories: amputation, which may be congenital or sustained through injury or illness; cerebral palsy; wheelchair athletes, though there is often overlap between this and other categories; visual impairment, including blindness; and Les autres, which is any physical disability that does not fall strictly under one of the other categories, like dwarfism or multiple sclerosis.[7][8] Each Paralympic sport then has its own classifications, dependent upon the specific physical demands of competition. Events are given a code, made of numbers and letters, describing the type of event and classification of the athletes competing. Some sports, such as athletics, divide athletes by both the category and severity of their disabilities. Other sports, for example swimming, group competitors from different categories together, the only separation being based on the severity of the disability.[9]

Athletics
Main article: Athletics at the 2016 Summer Paralympics

Demba Jarju was 27 years old at the time of the Rio Paralympics.[10] He made his second Paralympic, having first represented The Gambia at the 2012 Summer Paralympics.[1] He lost the use of both legs from contracting polio at the age of ten, and races in a wheelchair.[11] He qualified for these Paralympics at an event in Morocco.[12] On 16 September, he competed in the heats of the men's 100 meters T54. Drawn into the first heat, he completed the race with a time of 18.82 seconds, which put him seventh and last in his heat, and therefore unable to advance to the final eight.[13] The gold medal was ultimately won by Leo-Pekka Tähti of Finland, the silver by China's Liu Yang, and the bronze medal was taken by Kenny van Weeghel of the Netherlands.[13]

Athlete Events Heat Final
Time Rank Time Rank
Demba Jarju 100 m T54 18.82 7 did not advance

See also

References
  1. "Gambia at the Rio 2016 Paralympics". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 24 September 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  2. "The Gambia". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  3. "Gambia". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  4. "Rio 2016". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 20 July 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  5. Bah, Sulayman (17 September 2016). "PARALYMPICS: DEMBA OUT FOR GOLD RUSH TODAY". Foroyaa Newspaper. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  6. "Full list of flag bearers for opening ceremony of Rio 2016 Paralympic Games". International Paralympic Committee. Paralympic News Service. 7 September 2016. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  7. McGarry, Andrew (3 September 2008). "Paralympics categories explained". ABC. Archived from the original on 12 September 2008. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  8. "Making sense of the categories". BBC Sport. 6 October 2000. Archived from the original on 28 May 2008. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  9. "A-Z of Paralympic classification". BBC Sport. 28 August 2008. Archived from the original on 1 March 2009. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  10. Bah, Sulayman (20 September 2016). "Rio Paralympics: Demba sets personal best, bows out". Foroyaa Newspaper. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  11. "Athlete Bio – JARJU Demba". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  12. Cham, Lamin (10 May 2016). "Paralympian Demba Jarju qualifies for Rio". The Standard. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  13. "Athletics at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games – Men's 100 m T54". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
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