Ali Arshad arrived at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris with an array of impressive performances and now is just one race away from glory.

Qatar’s Ali Arshad has registered his personal best timing in the 100-meter wheelchair race on Sunday to qualify for the final of the ongoing Paralympic Games.

The 20-year-old clocked a time of 15.20 seconds at the Stade de France in Paris to keep his medal hopes alive.

Arshad’s timing was the third-best among the ten athletes competing in the T-34 category.

Thailand’s Chaiwat Rattana topped the qualifiers and Tunisian Walid Ktila finished second ahead of Arshad from his heat.

Arshad said he was “relishing” the challenge and the country’s expectation to bring a medal ahead of the race.

“The competition, no doubt, will be very tough but I am ready and will give my best,” he said in a statement to the Qatar News Agency on Saturday.

Monday’s gold medal race will be another shot at glory for Arshad, whose glittering young career has seen regular podium finishes.

He has so far won bronze at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games in 2022 and had a silver and two bronzes to his name at the West Asian Para Games 2022 in Bahrain.

Arshad is also competing at the 800-meter T-34 wheelchair race and will feature in the qualifying race on September 6.

Representing Qatar at the Paralympics alongside Arshid is veteran shot put star Sara Masud, competing on September 5 in the Women’s F33 Shot Put final.