The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games continue to showcase remarkable athletic performances and inspirational stories from around the world. Several countries have celebrated significant achievements, marking historic moments in their Paralympic journeys.Venezuela secured its first gold medal of the Games when Enderson Santos, a 37-year-old athlete, won the 400 meters (T11) event with a time of 50.58 seconds. Santos expressed his pride, stating, ‘I’m proud to be the first Venezuelan to win a gold medal in the Paralympics. This is a dream come true for me and for the entire Venezuelan delegation’.Brazil reached a milestone as André Rocha won the bronze medal in the discus throw event, marking the country’s 400th Paralympic medal. Rocha, a former police officer who became a tetraplegic after a fall in 2005, dedicated his medal to his wife, saying, ‘It has a special taste, it’s ours, it’s from Brazil’.India’s para-athletes have also made significant strides. Preeti Pal made history by becoming the first Indian woman track and field athlete to secure two medals at the Paralympics, winning bronze in both the 100m and 200m T35 categories. Nishad Kumar added to India’s medal tally with a silver in the men’s high jump T47 event, clearing 2.04 meters.The British team had an exceptional day, securing a record 12 gold medals on Sunday. Notable victories included Maisie Summers-Newton retaining her SB6 100m Breastroke title and Hannah Cockroft winning her fourth consecutive women’s T34 100m title.Other notable performances include Osiris Machado winning bronze for Mexico in the F64 discus throw final, and Ecuador’s Poleth Méndes securing the country’s first medal of the Games with a bronze.As the Paralympics progress, we continue to witness inspiring stories of determination and athletic excellence. The Games not only showcase the incredible abilities of para-athletes but also serve as a platform for breaking barriers and changing perceptions about disability in sports.
Key points
- Venezuela won its first gold medal of the Paralympics with Enderson Santos’ victory in the 400m T11 event.
- Brazil secured its 400th Paralympic medal with André Rocha’s bronze in discus throw.
- Preeti Pal became the first Indian woman to win two medals in track and field events at a single Paralympics.
- The British team had a record-breaking day, winning 12 gold medals across various events.
