Paris 2024: Catherine Debrunner flies to gold and Paralympic record

 In the women's 5000m T54 final, a wheelchair racer from Switzerland defeated American champion Susannah Scaroni, who had won the title in Tokyo 2020. In the morning session, Dutch long jumper Fleur Jong successfully defended her Paralympic championship, China's Zhao Yuping set a new world record, and host country France won its first medal.

At the Stade de France on Saturday morning, August 31, Catherine Debrunner had an unanticipated victory. In the women's 5000m T54 final, the Swiss athlete beat the world record holder and reigning champion, Susannah Scaroni of the USA, to win gold and create a new Paralympic record.

The two competitors split out from the group in the middle of a fiercely contested race. Debrunner took the lead in the home straight, finishing in 10:43.62, over nine seconds quicker than Scaroni's performance from the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

It's incredible. Staying ahead of Susannah (Scaroni) was difficult. The crowd was a huge assistance to me during the difficult race," added Debrunner, who will compete in five more events in Paris in 2024.

"After realizing there were only the two of us I knew I was either first or second, so I was ecstatic. However, during the final 600 meters, she picked her speed, so I kept up with her. At the end, I felt like I had some energy left. It's incredible to come in first. I have never before competed in a stadium this size. Even though it's just morning, it's nearly full. It's fantastic," Debrunner continued.

In the women's long jump T64, reigning champion Fleur Jong also set a record by breaking her own T62 Paralympic mark three times in six jumps. Marlene van Gansewinkel helped the Netherlands take silver as well.

As a Paralympic champion, Jong expressed her enthusiasm over ringing the Notre Dame bell, saying, "It's amazing." At the Olympic Games, I noticed the bell, and in private  

dreamed of ringing it myself. Today, I got to do it.”

China’s Zhao Yuping shattered her own world record to win the women’s javelin F13, earning her first Paralympic title to go along with her four world championships. In a dramatic men’s 5000m T13 final, Yassine Ouhdadi El Ataby took gold, giving Spain its first Para athletics gold at Paris 2024.

The French crowd erupted in cheers as Antonie Praud won the host nation’s first Para athletics medal, securing bronze in the men’s 1500m T46—gold went to neutral Para athlete Aleksandr Iaremchuk.

“I could hear the crowd, and I knew I had to give it my all. Everything went almost exactly as I wanted, which is just unbelievable,” Praud said. “I had seen what it was like at the Stade de France during the Olympics, and when I stepped onto the track, the noise was incredible. I drew all the positive energy from the crowd, which helped me especially in the final meters was similar to the Olympic stadium at the Stade de France, and the roar of the crowd was amazing as soon as I entered the track. I took in all the encouraging energy from the audience, which was quite beneficial in the last few meters.

As the audience continued to appreciate the amazing performances taking place in front of them, the mood at the Stade de France was electrifying. Records were being broken and new champions being crowned during the morning session of the Paralympic Games, which was sure to go down in history.

Brazil's Jerusa Geber Santos won the gold in the women's 100m T11 final with a stunning display of speed and tenacity, finishing in 12.15 seconds. With the help of her sighted companion, Santos breezed through the competition, outpacing her rivals and extending her stellar career with yet another Paralympic victory.

"Today, I felt really strong. I was exactly in time with my guide, and the crowd's excitement was incredible. This gold medal holds great significance for

me, Santos remarked with a proud smile.

Azeddine Nouiri of Morocco, on the other hand, astonished everyone with a huge throw of 12.89 meters in the men's shot put F55 final, winning the gold medal and creating a new Paralympic record. With gold from the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, Nouiri's triumph cemented his status as one of the sport's greatest ever.

"I've been putting in a lot of effort to get here. It's a dream come true to shatter the record and win gold once more. After winning, Nouiri remarked, "I was inspired to give my best performance by my team and the audience."

By the end of the first session, it was evident that the Paralympic Games in Paris were off to a exciting beginning. In addition to competing at the greatest levels, international athletes inspired millions of people with their amazing tales of resiliency and success. The globe was excitedly anticipating the next  phase in this incredible sporting show, and there were still events to come.