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A flow of fourth place finishes brought Australia’s emerging talent contingent close to the podium at the World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi.
After back-to-back Australian 100m T12 records in the heats and then semi-finals on the opening day of competition, Nathan Jason (T12) returned fell just 0.07 seconds short of bronze in the final.
Jason clocked 11.11 (-0.3) in the showdown which was won by Salum Ageze Kashafali (NOR) in a new world record of 10.42 seconds.
“This is my first World Championships in athletics and I didn’t know coming into this that I even had a chance of making the final,” Jason said.
“My starts this trip have not been what I was hoping for, they don’t feel as zippy as previous years, but I have nothing to complain about.
“I want to give a huge shoutout to Jaydon Page who had a disappointing race yesterday, but yesterday and today he has come out to cheer everyone on. That’s what our team is all about, camaraderie and friendship. That guy has been here every step of the way for every person.”
Also finishing in fourth place was Ella Hose, who backed up her Paralympic result from last year in the shot put F37 by throwing a season-best of 10.80m despite making technical changes in 2025.
After a shaky start to the competition, the 20-year-old composed herself to deliver the result in the fifth round.
“I’m actually really proud of myself and happy with where I ended up today,” Hose said.
“This championship was never the long goal for me, it has always been a bonus because it’s all with the goal of medalling at LA 2028.”
Wheelchair racer Sam Rizzo (T54) also raced to fourth place on a night of close calls in New Delhi, falling agonisingly short of bronze with a fast finish in the 5000m T54 when stopping the clock in 10:50.19 – less than one second off the podium.
In hot and humid conditions, Rizzo did his best to wear down his rivals in the tactical affair.
“I couldn’t be prouder of myself and my team,” he said. “We put in a really good block and there are a lot of positives there. I was brave and put myself in pretty decent positions but unfortunately didn’t have enough for the last kick.”
Debutant Akeesha Snowden mustered one of the performances of the day in the 400m T37 when claiming fourth place at her global debut, tearing around the track in a time of 1:06.68 to fall just 0.47-seconds short of bronze medallist Sheryl James (RSA).
Aged just 20, Snowden kick-started her program which also includes the 100m and 200m T37, and the universal relay.
“The back end was probably not quite as smooth as I would have liked, but I’m more than happy with fourth at a global stage like this,” Snowden said.
“There is more to come and I know in the years to come I’m going to threaten those girls for that top spot.”
A pair of teenagers also impressed in the sprinting ranks, as Ullrich Muller (T38) raced to eighth place in the 100m T38 in a time of 11.31 (-0.4), while 14-year-old Lexie Brown set a personal best of 13.12 (-1.0) in the 100m T47 heats.
Rounding out the finals action, Coco Espie marked her World Para Athletics Championships debut with fourth place in the 400m T34, clocking 1:13.82 in the four-woman race.
World record holder and Paralympic champion James Turner was in cruise control in the first-round of the 400m T36, securing automatic qualification with second place in a time of 55.32-seconds, while Rhiannon Clarke qualified for the 100m T38 final with a 12.99 (+0.1) performance and Rheed McCracken (T34) booked his ticket to the 400m T34 final by winning his heat in 49.17.
The 2025 World Para Athletics Championships are being held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, India from September 27 – October 5.
Australian viewers can tune in live and free via the Paralympic Games YouTube channel from 1:30pm AEST.
By: Australian Athletics
Published: 29 September 2025
