Denis Gnezdilov won shot put F40 gold at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, with a world record throw of 11.16 metres, edging out the competition by the narrowest of margins in a dramatic final.

Gnezdilov led the field from moment one, throwing 11.02m with his first attempt.

That would have been good enough for gold until Iraq's Garrah Tnaiash produced a sensational final throw of 11.15m, breaking the former world record. 

Gnezdilov, though, with his final attempt, bettered that mark by one centimetre, breaking the world record once again and winning gold.

"It's gorgeous," said Gnezdilov. 

"It's the best mood possible. 

"These are the Paralympic Games.

"I won them and with a world record on top of everything. 

"This is the best thing to happen in my life."

Denis Gnezdilov set a new world record in winning gold in the shot put F40 at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics ©Getty Images
Denis Gnezdilov set a new world record in winning gold in the shot put F40 at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics ©Getty Images

The 34-year-old, who suffers from congenital disorder and is classified as a "person of short stature", competes in events restricted to men under 130cm, only took up the sport in 2015 after being introduced to it by an athletics coach in Sochi.

Within four years, he won shot put F40 gold at the 2019 International Paralympic Committee Athletics World Championships in Dubai, following this up with gold in Tokyo at his first Paralympics.

He only made his international debut earlier in 2019, competing for Russia in the Grosseto Grand Prix.

In 2020, he received the title of Honoured Master of Sport in the Russian Federation.