Paris 2024: Fitting farewell for Durand, Caironi on dramatic evening

It was a fitting farewell for Cuban legend Omara Durand and Italian Martina Caironi as they clinched the gold medals on the penultimate day of the Para athletics action at the Stade de France on Saturday (7 September).

While Durand made it a golden treble winning the women's 200m T11 finals with her season best timing of 23.62s, Caironi won her second medal in Paris 2024 - winning the highly anticipated women's 100m T63 final in a dramatic fashion.

The reigning Paralympic and world champion Ambra Sabatini from Italy fell just metres from the finish colliding with Monica Graziana Contrafatto, who was subsequently awarded joint bronze medal with Great Britain's Ndidikama Okoh following decision of referee.

Sabatini's unfortunate fall also ended the audience's hopes of watching the Italians finishing one-two-three positions, in a repeat of the Italian triple podium from Tokyo and the world championships in Paris with their Charlie's Angels pose.

“I wanted it so badly. It was a very tormented journey and this was worth a lot. This is the best way to end my career.

“This medal weighs a lot because I am stubborn. I didn’t retire after Tokyo (2020 Paralympic Games) and I wanted to keep going for this (medal). I think I was back to 100%. This is the colour that belongs to me" said Cairono, who took the first Paralympic gold at Paris 2024 and first since Rio 2016. 

“Now I am ready to retire with a smile on my face. I gave a lot to the (Paralympic) movement, knowing that with true determination and focus you can get anywhere."

Meanwhile, Contrafatto was in more comfort receiving the bronze after being tripped just before the finish line by Sabatini. "Ambra came to me crying and saying she was sorry. The most beautiful thing about this medal is that it has taken a weight off Ambra. She felt guilty, when actually she didn't need to. It happened and could happen to anyone."

In other events, Brazilian Jerusa Geber dos Santos picked up her second Paralympic gold in Paris 2024 winning the women's 200 T11 final in a Paralympic record time of 24.51.

Five-time world champion Karen Tatiana Palomeque Moreno made it a special Paralympic debut for her clinching the women's 400m T38 final with a successive world record performance - 58.67.

In men's 400m T47 final, Aymane El Haddaoui made his Paralympic debut with an incredible world record performance of 46.65s.     

Likewise, China's Bingchen Cai claimed his first Paralympic title in style - world record show in men's shot out F33 final when he hurled the shot out to 12.77m.

Costa Rica's Sherman Isidro Guity and Great Britain's Hannah Cockroft won their second gold medals at Paris 2024 Games. 

The medallists from Para athletics events at the Stade de France on Saturday are: 

Evening session

Men's Javelin Throw F41 Final
Gold: Navdeep (IND)
Silver: Pengxiang Sun (CHN)
Bronze: Wildan Nukhailawi (IRQ)

Men's Shot Put F33 Final
Gold: Bingchen Cai (CHN)
Silver: Deni Cerni (CRO)
Bronze: Zakariae Derhem (MAR)

Men's Long Jump T20 Final
Gold: Matvei Iakushev (NPA)
Silver: Abdul Latif Romly (MAS)
Bronze: Jhon Sebastian Obando Asprilla (COL)

Women's 200m T11 Final
Gold: Jerusa Geber dos Santos (BRA)
Silver: Cuiqing Liu (CHN)
Bronze: Lahja Ishitile (NAM)

Women's 200m T12 Final
Gold: Omara Durand Elias (CUB)
Silver: Alejandra Paola Perez Lopez (VEN)
Bronze: Simran (IND)

Women's 200m T47 Final
Gold: Anna Grimaldi (NZL)
Silver: Brittni Mason (USA)
Bronze: Sasirawan Inthachot (THA)

Men's 200m T64 Final
Gold: Sherman Isidro Guity Guity (CRC)
Silver: Levi Vloet (NED)
Bronze: Mpumelelo Mhlongo (RSA)

Men's Shot Put F63 Final
Bronze: Faisal Sorour (KUW)
Silver: Aled Davies (GBR)
Bronze: Tom Habscheid (LUX)

Women's 800m T34 Final
Gold: Hannah Cockroft (GBR)
Silver: Kare Adenegan (GBR)
Bronze: Eva Houston (USA)

Women's 400m T38 Final
Gold: Karen Tatiana Palomeque Moreno (COL)
Silver: Luca Ekler (HUN)
Bronze: Lindy Ave(GER)

Men's 400m T47 Final
Gold: Aymane El Haddaoui (MAR)
Silver: Ayoub Sadni (MAR)
Bronze: Thomaz Ruan de Moraes (BRA)

Women's 100m T63 Final
Gold: Martina Caironi (ITA)
Silver: Karisma Evi Tiarani (INA)
Bronze: Monica Graziana Contrafatto (ITA)
Bronze: Ndidikama Okoh (GBR)