Fijian wins Paralympic high jump

Fiji broke fresh ground at the Paralympic Games last night in a high jump contest that kept the capacity Olympic Stadium audience in thrall from start to finish.

You think you've seen everything at the Paralympic Games until you’ve seen the high jumpers, who hop on one leg before diving head first over the bar.

Last night's event came down to three athletes: Fiji’s Iliesa Delana, Girisha Hosanagara Nagarajegowda from India and Lukasz Mamczarz from Poland - all of whom cleared 1.74 metre or 5ft 8in in imperial measure. Try clearing that height with two legs.

Delana was awarded the gold medal on count back because he had cleared every height at his first attempt.

The 27-year-old, who lost a leg in a car crash when he was three, is the first Fijian medal winner at Olympic or Paralympic level and is the country’s only participant in this year’s Paralympic games.

Fijian president Ratu Epeli Nailatikau said Delana had shown to the world what is possible if one sets their mind towards a certain goal.

Delana is already a national hero in Fiji and is funded by Denis O’Brien’s Digicel company, which is one of the main mobile phone providers in the Pacific islands.