Algeria had an 8-member large delegation in Sydney, including 7 on foot and 1 on wheelchair. These were the first Games where Algeria had a female Paralympian.[1]
Algeria fielded eight athletes in track and field events, all of them men. Mohamed Aissaoui competed in the 800m, 1,500m and 5,000m races in category T46, narrowly missing out on a medal in the 1,500 metres, where he finished fourth in 4:06.85 (2.09 seconds behind China's Wu Yanjian, who took bronze). Bachir Zergoune, also in category T46, who had won a bronze in the 800m in 1996, ran the 800m, 1,500m and 5,000m races, but finished last or second to last in each. Mohamed Allek, who had won two gold medals in 1996 (100m and 200m T36), competed in three races in the T37 disability category (cerebral palsy): 100m, 200m and 400m. He won gold in all three, setting a new Paralympic record (11.99s) in the 100m, and a new world record (54.66s) in the 400m. Rezki Reguig, also a T37 athlete, ran in the 800m, 1,500m and 5,000m races, his best result being a sixth place in the 1,500m. Omar Benchiheb, a visually impaired runner, took part in the 1,500m, 5,000m and 10,000m events in category T11, with mixed results. Although he failed to finish the 5,000 metre race, he advanced to the final in the 1,500m, where he finished fifth in 4:27.33. In the 10,000 metre race, he finished fourth, in 36:55.90, less than fifty-three seconds behind Tim Willis of the United States, who took bronze.[4]
Visually impaired Hakim Yahiaoui competed in the discus and shot put in category F13, finishing sixth in the former and fifth in the latter.[4]
Two Algerians qualified to compete in powerlifting, including the country's only female athlete at these Games. Saleha Annab took part in the women's up to 48 kg event, but failed to lift any weight. Djamel Meziani performed better in the men's up to 60g event, lifting 165 kg to finish sixth out of twelve.[4]
