Paris 2024 Paralympics | Para swimming: Hector Denayer runner-up in the SB9 100 m breaststroke, bronze in the S13 100 m backstroke for Alex Portal
At the age of 19, Hector Denayer won his first ever Paralympic medal by finishing second in the SB9 Para swimming 100 m breaststroke final at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. A little later, Alex Portal won bronze in the S13 100 m backstroke.
This year in Paris 2024, 19-year-old Hector Denayer is competing in his first Paralympic Games in Para swimming. A great hope for the sport, he was originally aiming for Los Angeles 2028... before making lightning progress. Classified in the SB9 category, he set the Paris La Défense Arena audience alight on Friday. Winner of his 100 m breaststroke heat in the morning, he then had a superb final.
With a time of 1 min 05 s 91, he was only beaten by Italian legend Stefano Raimondi. Germany's Maurice Wetekam took bronze just behind the Frenchman. After Ugo Didier and Alex Portal, Hector Denayer becomes the third French Para swimmer to win a medal in this Paralympic Games.
Bronze for Alex Portal
A few minutes later, Alex Portal took to the starting blocks. After winning a silver medal in the S13 100 m butterfly, it was in the 100 m backstroke that he shone. One of the three favourites for the podium at the start, he held his ground by touching the plate in third place. With a time of 59.08, he won his second medal in two days.
Two Para swimmers from the NPA (Neutral Paralympic Athletes) rounded off the top 3: the legend Ihar Boki, again in gold, and Vladimir Sotnikov, in silver.
The evening's other gold medallists
Ukraine's Oleksandr Komarov, who set a Paralympic record of 1 min 07 s 77, and Britain's Tully Kearney won the S5 100 m freestyle finals. The S4 100 m freestyle went to Israel's Ami Omer Dadaon, while China's Yang Hong won the 200 m medley in 2 min 37 s 31. In the same category and over the same distance, Great Britain's Maisie Summers-Newton was crowned champion.
In the 400 m freestyle S11, the Czech David Kratochvil, with a European record of 4 min 26 s 35, and the Dutch Liesette Bruinsma, also with a European record of 5 min 00 s 42, were crowned champions. The Netherlands were also in the limelight in the SB9 100 m breaststroke with the success of Chantalle Zijderveld.
American Gia Pergolini was the Paralympic champion in the S13 100m backstroke, while Andrei Kalina and Anastasiya Dmytriv won the SB8 100m breaststroke. Finally, China won the mixed 4x50 m freestyle relay - 20 points in 2 min 14 s 98, a world record.
All the Para-swimming results for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games
All Para-swimming results and schedules can be accessed and updated in real time HERE.