Paris 2024 Paralympics | Para Athletics: Highlights from the Evening of September 3rd
Charles-Antoine Kouakou, a para athlete with an intellectual disability and ambassador for adapted sports in France, was unable to defend his Paralympic title in the T20 400m. Despite a fast start, he finished in eighth and last place.
Just a week ago, Charles-Antoine Kouakou had the immense honor of lighting the Paralympic Cauldron during the Paris 2024 Paralympics opening ceremony—a deeply emotional moment for the athlete who won the T20 400m at Tokyo 2020.
On Tuesday evening, Kouakou wasn’t a top favorite in the race but had legitimate hopes for a medal. However, amid the electric atmosphere of the Stade de France, he couldn’t maintain his early pace. He faded in the final stretch, crossing the line last with a time of 49 s 04.
Colombia's Jhon Sebastian Obando Asprilla claimed the gold in 48 s 09, followed by Spain's David Jose Pineda Mejia (48 s 24) and Mauritius’ Yovanni Philippe (48 s 30).
Marie N'Goussou Takes Sixth at Just 15, Soane Luka Meissonnier Comes in Fourth
Earlier in the evening, French athlete Soane Luka Meissonnier, from Wallis and Futuna, finished fourth in the men’s F20 shot put. His throw of 16.42 meters, which he described as "disappointing," was bested by **Oleksandr Yarovyi’**s world record of 17.61 meters, Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli (17.18 meters), and Maksym Koval (16.99 meters). In the T37 long jump, Valentin Bertrand (5.15 meters) placed ninth, with Brian Lionel Impellizzeri winning the event at 6.42 meters.
At only 15, Marie N'Goussou finished sixth in the T47 100m with a time of 12 s 58, in a race won by Ecuador's Kiara Rodriguez in 12 s 04. Meanwhile**, Laure Ustaritz** finished sixth in the T37 400m final (1 min 09 s 20), which was won by Ukraine's Nataliia Kobzar.
A Night of Records, Marcel Hug Loses His Title
Other standout moments included Lamiya Valiyeva's world record of 11 s 76, securing her the T13 100m Paralympic title for Azerbaijan. Fans at the Stade de France also saw a Paralympic record in the T64 200m set by Kimberly Alkmade of the Netherlands (25 s 42), a victory for American Ezra French in the T63 high jump with a new Paralympic record of 1.94 meters, and a world record-equalling performance in the T38 400m by American Jaydin Blackwell (48 s 49).
Swiss superstar Marcel Hug couldn’t retain his Paralympic title in the T54 1,500m, losing to China's Jin Hua and taking home the silver medal.
Full Para Athletics Results from the Paris 2024 Paralympics
You can find all the results and schedules for Para athletics, updated in real time, HERE.