Paris 2024: Top medal highlights from Day 6
Ihar Boki went five for five in Paris, winning his 21st Paralympic swimming gold on Day 6 The first Para equestrian and wheelchair fencing medals were awarded, with new Paralympic champions in both sports Omara Durand's Paralympic winning streak continued, with the Cuban sprinter winning her ninth consecutive Para athletics gold medal 03 Sep 2024
Five for five
With a world record-breaking swim in the 200m individual medley SM13, Neutral Paralympic Athlete Ihar Boki won not just his 21st Paralympic gold, but his fifth gold medal of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Boki has won all five races he has competed in in Paris, with his individual medley swim on Tuesday setting a new world record time of 2:02.03, 4.63 seconds faster than silver medallist Alex Portal.
China won 11 Para swimming medals overall on day six, which included sweeping the podium in two events, the men’s 50m backstroke S5 and the women’s 50m backstroke S5. Gold medals were won by Wang Jingang, Jiang Yuyan, Yuan Weiyi and Lu Dong.
The exuberant crowd at La Défense Arena was ecstatic to have three French swimmers win medals. In addition to Portal’s men’s 200m individual SM13 silver, Ugo Didier took silver in the men’s 100m backstroke S9 and Laurent Chardard won bronze in the men’s butterfly S6.
“We are very proud of this crowd. I don’t know if I make the crowd proud, but they make me proud. I am very happy to share with all these people,” said Didier.
“I hope that Paris (2024) will be something that improves the accessibility and visibility of Para sports and I am sure that it will.”
USA’s Para equestrian depth on display
The United States had a strong showing on the first day of Para equestrian competition, medalling in all three events.
Veteran rider Rebecca Hart won her first gold in five Paralympic Games in the individual event grade III with horse Floratina.
“It’s been 25 years of trying to get to this point and being close many, many times. To actually get it, I feel like I’m going to wake up at any moment. It’s just surreal. It feels like a dream.”
This was followed by Paralympic rookie Fiona Howard winning the individual event grade II gold with horse Diamond Dunes.
“Rebecca has been incredible. This is her fifth Paralympic Games and when the selection came out, she messaged me straight away and she has been there every step of the way,” said Howard.
“In the lead-up to the Games, I could be like: ‘Hey Becca, how do you deal with this?’ And she has always 100% had my back and supported me every single step of the way. Every show, it is an honour to be on a team with her, and I am so thankful for her and all my teammates.”
Team USA’s Roxanne Trunnell took silver in the individual event grade I.
New champions crowned as wheelchair fencing begins
Several new Paralympic champions were crowned on the first day of wheelchair fencing at Grand Palais.
Thailand’s Saysunee Jana won the women’s sabre category B gold, beating world champion Xiao Rong by a single point. This was Jana's first Paralympic gold since 2012 and her first sabre medal.
“It’s the first, and it’s special. I’ve never beaten Xiao until now,” said Jana.
“I had to be very fast because it was very close. If I took more time, it wouldn’t go my way.”
Germany’s Maurice Schmidt won his first-ever Paralympic medal, men’s sabre category A gold.
Despite losing the men’s sabre category B gold medal bout to Feng Yanke by one point, silver still meant a lot to Poland’s Michal Dabrowski.
“In January it was bad, very bad, now it’s better. The road was not simple for me. I had chemotherapy, this was a bad time for me. I didn’t start the last competition. I didn’t know that I would be here.”
Para athletics party continues
It was a one-two finish for the Netherlands in the women’s 200m T64 final, with Kimberly Alkemade finishing first ahead of reigning champion and fellow Dutch athlete Marlene van Gansewinkel.
“Twenty-six years ago I lost my mother and my leg in France and now I am back here through the power of sport to turn something so bad into something good - to see how much power I have now through sport,” said Alkemade.
“I lost a lot here and now I have won. After everything I’ve been through, winning here has a lot of meaning, for me and for my family. France now has a positive place in my life.”
Cuba’s Omara Durand claimed her ninth Paralympic gold medal with a season best time in the women’s 400m T12. She has now won every Paralympic final she has competed in since London 2012.
“I am very happy to have this gold, my ninth at the Paralympic Games. I am enjoying it a lot. I did my best time of the season, but I came here to get a medal. I was not worried about any specific time.”
Catherine Debrunner of Switzerland won her third gold of the Games in a fantastic women’s 1500m T54 final, while USA’s Ezra Frech got his second gold in as many days, reaching his goal of winning the men’s high jump T63.
Yovanni Philippe won the first-ever Paralympic medal for Mauritius, bronze in the men’s 400m T20.
12 year wait over for Urhaug
The wait for gold is over for Norway’s Tommy Urhaug, who beat Chinese Taipei’s Cheng Ming Chih 3-2 in the men’s singles MS5 final to claim his first Paralympic title since London 2012.
“It’s an amazing feeling. I didn’t quite believe that I could do it again,” said Urhaug.
"But I know I’m a good player and I’ve beaten all these players before. So there was a small, small chance, but I didn’t actually believe it. It feels incredible to now have this gold medal around my neck.
“My youngest daughter was just one-and-a-half when I won in London. She missed Rio (2016) and Tokyo (2020), and now she’s back here and I won. She is my lucky charm, it’s something with her.”
Double gold for Jinho Park
The performance of a lifetime continued for Republic of Korea’s Jinho Park on Tuesday, with the shooting Para sport athlete winning his second gold medal of the Games, setting a Paralympic record in the R7 men’s 50m rifle 3 positions SH1.
“I was feeling way more nervous than when I won my (other) gold this week. I still don’t believe this is happening,” said Park.
“I was waiting a long time to win a gold medal in the Paralympics. Now with my second medal, I think of everyone who has helped me.”
In the R8 women’s 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 competition, Germany’s Natascha Hiltrop improved upon her silver medal from Tokyo, taking gold ahead of legend Veronika Vadovicova.
“I started out pretty bad, I am happy I was able to regroup and win,” said Hiltrop, who won on the final shot. “It is a good feeling, but I did not plan it like that.”
Wu Chunyan completes the collection
Chinese Para archer Wu Chunyan took gold in the women’s individual recurve open, dominating her teammate Wu Yang 7-1.
“Archery not only changed my normal life, but also just totally changed my spirit,” said Wu, who adds the gold to her silver from Rio 2016 and bronze from Tokyo 2020.
“I found my husband through archery. He’s also an archery player, and I have just had a baby. She’s just four months old right now. She’s waiting at home. I just want to tell her that your mummy will come back and give you the gold medal.”
