Paris 2024 Paralympics | Para swimming: Ugo Didier wins a first gold for France with a tactical masterclass

With memories of Léon Marchand's recent triumphs at the La Défense Arena still fresh in our minds, the Paralympic swimming events kicked off in style today as Ugo Didier won gold for France in the men's 400m freestyle category S9, and Briton Poppy Maskill set a new World record in the women's 100m butterfly S14 final.

It was clear from the moment Ugo Didier entered the packed arena who the crowd had come to see, and chants of "Ugo, Ugo" echoed around the stadium as the swimmers took their marks.

At the half way point, it looked like the Frenchman might have left himself too much to do, but this just seemed to make the cheers even louder as the home crowd willed him on. They needn't have worried, one by one Ugo Didier reeled the other swimmers in and in the space of two lengths he was in the lead.

"We had planned the race strategy exactly like this"

According to the man himself, this was the tactic all along: "We had planned the race strategy exactly like this. I have radically changed my technique over the last year by lengthening my stroke to take more water. Sure, I wasn’t able to maintain my usual frequency — which used to be one of my strengths — but I was lacking power in the water previously, and today, I managed to change that."

"He delivered the best finish of his entire career!"

Ugo's coach, Samuel Chaillou, concurs with his protégé's assessment of the race, "I knew that he was biding his time; observing what was happening. And as I watched him, I could see that he was holding his form really well, so everything was very positive from that side. Then, when he started to pick up the pace, well, he delivered the best finish of his entire career!"

"I'm just happy that the hard work has paid off."

But don't be fooled, Ugo's wide smile and easy charm don't tell the whole story and he admits that his victory was the result of months of hard work and even the occasional doubt, "this victory was not a simple achievement It was very tough; I had an extremely challenging year and a disastrous winter, from a sporting perspective, and now I'm just happy that the hard work has paid off."

There were echoes of Léon Marchand when Didier took to the podium to sing the first Marseillaise of these Paralympic Games, enthusiastically and deafeningly accompanied by the crowd. And while he is not as strong across all disciplines as his illustrious compatriot, Ugo Didier will go again in the 50m freestyle and the 100m backstroke later in the week. The podium will likely be out of his reach over the shorter distance but he has a realistic chance of a medal in the latter. As Léon Marchand can tell him, this is how sporting superstars are born.