Paris 2024 Paralympic Games: Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner claim T54 marathon titles

By Evelyn Watta
3 min|
Hug punches the air just before racing under the finish tape held by two volunteers
Picture by Getty Images
Para Athletics

The Swiss wheelchair racers wrapped up busy schedules at the 2024 Paralympic Games with victories on the final day in Paris.

It was a tale of Swiss domination in the T54 men and women’s marathons, as wheelchair racers Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner took gold at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on Sunday (8 September).

Hug wrapped up what has been yet another busy Paralympic campaign with a comprehensive victory, winning the men’s T54 men’s marathon in 1:27:39.

After three medals in the Stade de France - silvers in the 1500m and 5000m and 800m bronze - the 38-year-old saved his best for the final day of the Games on the streets of Paris.

Known as the 'Silver Bullet' in honour of his trademark shiny crash helmet, Hug took control of the race just before midway having briefly exchanged the lead with People’s Republic of China’s Jin Hua. He then moved clear for his third consecutive marathon gold and seventh career Paralympic title.

“I really wanted this gold medal and now I have a full set of medals,” he told Olympics.com after the race.“It was really tough out there at the marathon, especially with the cobblestones and a lot of turns.”

The five-time Paralympian was over three minutes ahead of Hua who clocked a season best of 1:31:19. Japan’s Suzuki Tomoki rounded out the podium in 1:31:23.

USA's Daniel Romanchuk was fourth, a minute outside of the medals, with Britain's London 2012 Paralympic champion David Weir in fifth place.

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Marcel Hug celebrates retaining his T54 marathon title

Picture by Getty Images

There was more celebration for the Swiss team as Debrunner led from start to finish in the women's race. She raced down past the finish line in Esplanades de Invalides in 1:41:50, taking her tally to five golds and a silver at these Games.

Having dominated on the track, the 29-year-old took her form to the roads to take her first global marathon title having opted to focus fully on para athletics just over two years ago.

The 29-year-old told Olympics.com afterwards, "It means incredibly much to me because we have seen in the past years that there, there were not often that the champion from the [past] years won the Paralympic Marathon.

"It's a special marathon after an intense time of racing, everybody's tired, everybody's had many races. We also knew it's a super tough marathon. The cobblestones, they were really insane."

Madisson de Rozario, the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic marathon champion, took silver in 1:46:13 with USA's Susannah Scaroni claiming bronze in 1:46:29.

Catherine Debrunner led from start to finish for women's T54 marathon gold in Paris

Picture by 2024 Getty Images

Men's T54 marathon results:

  1. 🥇Marcel Hug (SUI) 1:27:39
  2. 🥈Jin Hua (CHN) 1:31:19
  3. 🥉Suzuki Tomoki (JPN) 1:31:23
  4. Daniel Romanchuk (USA) 1:32:23
  5. David Weir (USA) 1:33:27
  6. Luo Xingchuan (CHN) 1:36:20
  7. Aaron Pike (USA) 1:36:23
  8. Yoshida Ryota (JPN) 1:37:15
  9. Jetze Plat (NED) 1:39:47
  10. Francisco Sanclemente (COL) 1:46:27

Women's T54 marathon results:

  1. 🥇Catherine Debrunner (SUI) 1:41:50
  2. 🥈Madison de Rozario (AUS) 1:46:13
  3. 🥉Susannah Scaroni (USA) 1:46:29
  4. Manuela Schär (SUI) 1:49:22
  5. Zhou Zhaoqian (CHN) 1:52:09
  6. Tsuchida Wakako (JPN) 1:52:39
  7. Tatyana McFadden (USA) 1:53:52
  8. Aline dos Santos Rocha (BRA) 1:53:54
  9. Merle Marie Menje (GER) 1:55:54
  10. Vanessa Cristina de Souza (BRA) 1:56:33