Mustafa Yuseinov scored Bulgaria’s best achievement so far at the 2008 Beijing Summer Paralympic Games after finishing sixth in the final of the men’s discus event held on September 8 2008.

At his third attempt out of six he threw the discus 35.73 metres, which gave him the sixth position in the overall standings. Gold went to Cuban Leonardo Diaz, who threw the discus 40.87 metres, a new world record. Second came Iran’s Yari Ali Mohammad with 39.39 metres and Jamaica’s Tanto Campbell picked bronze with 39.31 metres.

Radostina Yavnova failed to qualify for the final in the women’s 100 metres event on September 8 after finishing in fourth place in her heat, with a result of 14.86 seconds. First was UK’s Libby Clegg with 12.71 seconds.

In total, eight athletes represent Bulgaria at the Paralytics Games held on September 6-17, including world number two and reigning European champion Dechko Ovcharov, competing in the men’s javelin and discus events and Ivanka Koleva, gold medalist in the women’s shot put in the 2000 Paralympics in Sydney, who will also take part in the women’s power-lifting events as well as in two track and field events.

Other names on Bulgaria’s team are Stela Ivanova, world champion in the women’s discus and shot put, Daniela Todorova (javelin), Radostina Ivanova (100m and long jump), Mustafa Yuseinov (discus), Spas Spasov (power lifting), and Radoslav Zlatanov (100m and 200m).

As of September 9, the host China tops the medal rankings with a total of 44 medals (13 gold, 16 silver and 15 bronze). The UK is next with 26 medals (12 gold, 10 silver and four bronze).