A packed Stade de France witnessed a historic morning session with six new Paralympic champions, including a seventh gold medal for Tunisian throwing star Raoua Tlili, on Friday (30 August).
Colombia (twice), Brazil, China and Uzbekistan were the other countries to climb to the top of the podium in the first session of the Paris 2024 Para athletics programme.
Brazil’s Julio Agripino claimed his first gold medal of the Games at the Stade de France, setting a new world record in the men’s 5,000m T11 (14:48.85).
It was Agripino’s first Paralympic medal in his third participation in the Paralympic Games. Brazil also claimed bronze with Yeltsin Jacques, the Tokyo 2020 champion, and Japan’s Kenya Karasawa defended his Paralympic silver with a new Asian record (14:51.48).
“I knew today would be my day. I just realised that I am a Paralympic champion and I can’t believe it,” said Agripino. “I have been training very hard since the World Championships in Kobe (Japan, in May), after I got the silver. After training at altitude I knew that this would be my moment and that I would break the world record.”
Rain came just minutes after the end of the 5,000m T11, but it didn’t stop one of the biggest names of this year’s Games from adding more glory to his already impressive record.
Tunisia’s Raoua Tlili claimed her fifth consecutive Paralympic gold in the women’s shot put F41 with a throw of 10.40m on her second attempt, four centimetres ahead of second-placed Uzbekistan’s Kubaro Khakimova.
“It was difficult for me because I didn’t want anything other than gold. My dream was to win a Paralympic title. It’s not easy for a short person of my age… especially if you’re competing against 22, 25-year-olds,” said the 34-year-old athlete after her seventh Paralympic gold (she also has two in the discus event).
“I am very happy today because I won the gold medal and all the public, the Algerians, the Tunisians, everyone who lives in Paris, came and gathered to see me. (I heard them say) Raoua, Raoua, gold, gold.”
🗣️”I’m very happy, representing Brazil and for this medal. I run with an injury. It’s been difficult to get back to training. But I’m happy I managed to do it.”
🇧🇷 Julio Cesar Agripino (🥇in the men’s 5000m T11)#ParaAthletics @BraParalympic @ParalympicsAmPC @Paralympics pic.twitter.com/3tt5W0Zu9T
— Para Athletics (@ParaAthletics) August 30, 2024
Record for Lemos
José Gregorio Lemos claimed the gold medal on Friday morning in the form of a world record. The Colombian thrower broke his Paralympic record from Tokyo 2020 and world record from the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games to defend his F38 javelin title (63.81).
The second Colombian gold of the morning session came with Erica Castano in the women’s discus F55.
Uzbekistan’s Asila Mirzayorova, a two-time world champion, has converted her Tokyo 2020 silver into her first Paralympic gold in the women’s long jump T11. Her jump of 5.24m set a new Paralympic record.
China’s Zhou Xia closed the morning session with her fifth Paralympic gold and third in a row in the women’s 100m T35 (13.58).
Below are all the medalists from the morning session of the first day.
Women’s Discus F55 Final
Gold: Erica Castano (Colombia)
Plata: Dong Feixia (China)
Bronze: Rosa Maria Guerrero Cazares (Mexico)
Men’s 5,000m T11 Final
Gold: Julio Agripino (Brazil)
Silver: Kenya Karasawa (Japan)
Bronce: Yeltsin Jacques (Brasil)
Women’s long jump T11 final
Oro: Asila Mirzayorova (Uzbekistan)
Plata: Guohua Zhou (China)
Bronze: Alba Garcia (Spain)
Women’s Shot Put F41 Final
Gold: Raoua Tlili (Tunisia)
Silver: Kubaro Khakimova (Uzbekistan)
Bronze: Antonella Ruiz Diaz (Argentina)
Men’s Javelin Throw F38 Final
Gold: Jose Gregorio Lemos (Colombia)
Silver: Vladyslav Bilyi (Ukraine)
Bronce: Dongquan An (China)
Women’s 100m T35 final
Gold: Zhou Xia (China)
Plata: Guo Qianqian (China)
Bronze: Preethi Pal (India)
