More than figures, images and strong emotions will have marked these Games organized in unprecedented conditions. Those of the Paralympic coronations of the Italian fencer “Bebe” Vio or the German jumper Markus Rehm, nicknamed “Blade Jumper”, rejected from the Olympic Games because of his carbon blades of prostheses.
As also those of the two Afghan athletes competing in Tokyo after having fled in extremis Kabul where they were trapped with the capture of the capital by the Taliban.
Miracle arrival of Afghans
Tokyo no longer expected them: after a “Major global operation”, according to the International Paralympic Committee, to evacuate them from Kabul, then a secret stay in Paris, the two Afghan representatives were able to compete in the Paralympic Games.
Arrived too late for his scheduled event, the 100 meters, Hossain Rasouli turned to the long jump (category T47) in the sumptuous National Stadium. Regardless of his thirteenth place, his participation inspired the jubilation around the sandbox: “I could not help but feel joy for him”, book the American Roderick Townsend, second in the competition.
The presence of the other member of the Afghan delegation Zakia Khudadadi sparked the same enthusiasm in taekwondo Thursday. Especially at Ukrainian Viktoriia Marchuk ” very happy “ that she was able to do two fights.
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The two Afghan representatives were able to compete in the Tokyo Paralympic Games. © REUTERS / Issei Kato
Vio d’or, Italian idol
His radiant energy inspires as much affection off the fencing slopes as it does fear once his mask is on. The Italian Beatrice Vio was exact at the meeting in Tokyo.
Like five years ago in Rio, the four-amputee foil player won in her wheelchair fencing final against China’s Zhou Jingjing in the individual.
“Bebe” Vio, star in his native Italy, left Japan with a second gold medal despite a dreaded lack of competition.
“You know, you have to believe in yourself”, urges the native of Venice. “This is my message to everyone. Believe in it and you will be able to do great things. “
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As in Rio, the Italian Beatrice Vio walked away with the gold medal in the wheelchair fencing final. © Yasuyoshi CHIBA / AFP
Markus Rehm, record d’attention
The German jumper retained the Paralympic gold as expected. It is his own world record achieved in June (8.62 meters) that the members of the other delegations, scattered around the stadium, wanted to see him beat. His competitors also in a rare moment of communion.
“We encouraged him, he was hot”, delivers to AFP the Frenchman Dimitri Pavadé, second in the competition. “ I wanted him to beat his record, to make us dream again. “
It wasn’t for Wednesday night. Even the 8.41 meters of Greek Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou that Markus Rehm had “in mind” remained elusive for the German, who was not allowed to compete in the Olympics due to the advantage his prosthesis provided according to World Athletics.
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German jumper Markus Rehm retained Paralympic gold, as expected. © Charly TRIBALLEAU / AFP
Shingo Kunieda master in his kingdom
Captain of the Japanese Paralympic delegation, the world No.1 in wheelchair tennis Shingo Kunieda met the country’s immense expectations by conquering the Paralympic title on Saturday in singles.
Proof of the importance of the moment, it was the president of the Tokyo-2020 organizing committee Seiko Hashimoto who presented him with his gold medal, the 37-year-old’s fourth (including one in singles).
“I didn’t feel a lot of fatigue throughout the tournament but suddenly I feel it. I think my nervous system was at full speed “, delivered the Japanese, whose face in tears, flag with the red disc on the shoulders was displayed in the local newspapers on Sunday.
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Paraplegic since he was nine years old due to a spinal cord tumor, the player with 45 Grand Slam titles (including 24 in singles) has won everything… or almost. © Philip FONG / AFP
Alexandre Léauté seed of a French star
Three years from the next Games in Paris, the French Paralympic team has found a headliner. At 20, cyclist Alexandre Léauté is of the 2024 generation but did not wait for the Home Games to shine.
He left Tokyo with four medals, including the first in gold from the French delegation, won in the individual pursuit (category C2). Not satisfied by this introduction, the Breton continued on the track by taking the silver in the kilometer and then two bronze medals on the road.
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The young French cyclist, Alexandre Lurée, leaves these Tokyo Games with 4 medals… One of which is gold! © CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP
It displays the uninhibited ambition of a new generation: “I hope to be in Paris-2024, Alexandre Léauté is already planning. It will be in France, I will be expected, I think, with what I did this year. “ In the meantime, he has been designated to carry the French flag at the closing ceremony on Sunday.
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