Yodha Pedige blasted out of the blocks in the men’s 200 metres T42 and held on strongly to take the win in 25.11sec, lowering his own previous Asian record mark by 0.76 seconds.

The 30-year-old, winner of the 200m T42 gold medal at the 2014 Asian Para Games in Incheon, was delighted with his performance.

"I had a lot of hopes and expectations coming to this event to get a good time and qualify for the Rio Paralympics," he said.

"I want to medal there so this is a great start.

"I want to improve my time to 24.5 too, and I am confident that I can keep improving on my times and get to Brazil."

London 2012 finalist Atsushi Yamamoto of Japan had to settle for silver in 26.83 although he will have high hopes in the long jump T42 event later this week, having retained his world title in Qatar last year.

The bronze medal went to Yodha Pedige’s compatriot Buddika Indrapala, who clocked 27.50.

Vietnam picked up their first medal of the Championships - as well as an Asian record - courtesy of Nguyen in the men’s shot put F55/56.

The 28-year-old added eight centimetres on to the Asian record with a throw of 10.18 metres in the second round.

The silver medal went to Mongolia’s Sambuudanzan Ganzorig with a best of 9.13m, and Iran’s Parviz Golpasandhagh took bronze.

Local favourite Mohamed Hammadi picked up gold for the host country in the men’s 200m T34.

Victory never looked in doubt as Hammadi cruised round the bend and down the home straight at the Dubai Police Officers Club stadium to take gold in 29.31.

The 30-year-old, winner of the silver medal at the IPC Athletics World Championships last year, appeared in confident mood as he took the win ahead of Kuwait’s Ahmad Almutairi and Qatar’s Mohammed Al-Kubaisi.

Japan dominated the podium in the men’s 1500m T20 as Daisuke Nakagawa led the way home in 4min 08.03sec.

Nakagawa, the world 5,000m champion, made his intentions clear as he took an early lead he never relinquished.

Compatriot Yusuke Yamanouchi had to settle for the silver medal in 4:11.20 and Japan’s Yuya Kimura took the bronze in 4:15.40.

There was a thrilling battle to the line in the men’s 200m T44 but it was India’s Manoj Baskar who took the gold medal, dipping as he stopped the clock in 24.90, just 0.04 seconds ahead of compatriot Anandan Gunasekaran.

China picked up the first gold of the day as Ming Xin topped the men’s 100m T35 podium, crossing the line in 15.70.

Saudia Arabia’s Paralympic silver medallist Hani Alnakhli won the men’s discus throw F33/34 with the world record holder’s fourth round throw of 27.44m enough to take the  gold medal.

Qatar’s Abdulrahman Abdulrahman threw 30.72m to win the silver medal and bronze went to the United Arab Emirates Ahmed Alhousani with 22.78m.

Earlier, the first gold medal out in the field had gone to Iran’s Hashemiyeh Motaghian Moavi with victory in the women’s javelin F55/56.

The 29-year-old only managed two legal throws out of a possible six, but her fifth attempt of 17.24m - only 13 centimetres shy of the Asian record she set at the IPC Athletics World Championships last year - was enough to take the title.

The silver medal went to India’s Karam Jyoti with a best of 11.62m.

Iran notched up a second gold medal on day one as Seyed Javanmardi won the men’s shot put F35/36 with a best of 13.21m.

Iraq took silver through Jabbar Al-Azzawi and the third spot on the podium went to the UAE’s Saeed Mubarak. 

Victory went to form in the men’s long jump T20 as Malaysia’s world and Asian Para Games champion Abdul Latif Romly picked up yet another major gold medal.

The 18-year-old saved his best until last as he leapt 7.07m to take the win ahead of Saudi Arabia’s Asaad Sharaheli with 6.82m, and Japan’s Mitsuo Yamaguchi with 6.72m.

Iraq took gold and silver in the men’s javelin F40/41 as Paralympic silver medallist Ahmed Naas threw a best of 35.75m for top honours. 

It was déjà vu for his compatriot Wildan Nukhailawi - the 2012 Paralympic bronze medallist behind Naas - who threw 41.07m for silver.

China’s Tongqing Shen threw 37.54m to take the bronze medal.

Competition in Dubai is due to continue tomorrow.