While the first events of the 2021 Paralympic Games began overnight, cyclist Marie Patouillet has already opened, Wednesday, August 25, the counter of the France team. The 32-year-old general practitioner won the bronze medal on track in individual pursuit (category C5). “I don’t really realize. For my first Games, first event and first medal ”, reacted the tracker, more of a sprint specialist.
The cyclist, born with a defect in one foot, has new great medal chances on Friday in the 500 meters standing start, her specialty, of which she is vice-world champion (2020) and bronze medalist (2019). She is also trained by Grégory Baugé, quadruple world champion in individual speed and silver medalist at the London Olympics in 2012.
Arriving late in the discipline, Marie Patouillet had a revelation by running the stage of the Tour cyclotouriste in 2017.
In swimming, the French Ugo Didier won the silver medal in the 400m freestyle (category S9). The 19-year-old puts on a fine performance for his first Games, finishing behind Australian Martin William. The other French swimmer, Alex Portal, set the fourth fastest time in the 100-meter butterfly final (S13), just one hundredth off the podium and the bronze medal.
In wheelchair fencing, Maxime Valet lost in the semi-finals of the saber, seven touches to fifteen, and will try to win the bronze medal, against the Greek Panagiotis Triantafyllou, from 9:30 am The French wheelchair rugby team will meet Japan at 1 p.m.