Paris 2024: 'Rocket man' Gabriel Araujo completes his hat-trick of golds

He is all over the news, France has even learned his nickname. Gabriel Araujo, or Gabrielzinho how he is called in his native Brazil, is already one of the stars of the Paris 2024 Paralympics and now a five-time Games champion.

Araujo set an Americas record (3:58.92) en route to gold in the men’s 200m freestyle S2 final on Monday at La Defense Arena. He set a target for Paris to improve his two victories from Tokyo 2020. Mission accomplished.

"I have a feeling of completed mission. I came all this way to Paris to win the three golds and now I've done it. I'm really happy," Gabrielzinho said. 

He also received a new nickname, this time in English, as silver medallist Vladimir Danilenko called him 'The Rocket Man'.

"I feel like I am 'The Rocket Man'. Rockets don't go back, they always go straight and forwards," the Brazilian said. 

Brazil also topped the podium in the women’s 50m freestyle S13 as Maria Carolina Santiago grabbed her second gold at Paris 2024. There was another historic result to the Brazilian with twins Debora and Beatriz Carneiro taking silver and bronze, respectively in the women’s 100m breaststroke SB14 – gold to Great Britain’s Louise Fiddes.

"I'm really, really happy, this is a dream to be with my sister on the podium. This bronze medal looks like a gold,” said Beatriz.

"It's also our father's birthday today, so it's a gift for him as well,” added Debora.

No other nation had more Para swimming victories on Monday than Italy.

Simone Barlaam bagged his first gold at Paris 2024 in the men’s 50m freestyle S9 improving his own world record in 0.06 (23.90). 

"It was very surreal. In front of my family, loved ones, it makes it even more special,” Barlaam said. “This is the one I was looking for and I'm very happy. I'm going to enjoy the medal ceremony and everything and then focus on the upcoming events."

Federico Bicelli put the Italian on top right at the opening event of the evening session, the men’s 400m freestyle S7.  Giulia Ghiretti completed Italy’s hat-trick of golds winning the women’s 100m breaststroke SB4 to claim her first-ever Games title.

"So good. It's a dream and it's beautiful here. I'm not alone, there are a lot of people, my family, my friends here. I'm in the water and the others are here in this arena, and it's beautiful,” Ghiretti said.

Neutral Para athlete Ihar Boki picked his fourth gold medal in as many events in Paris this time in the men’s 50m freestyle S13.

Here are Para swimming medallists at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on 2 September:

Men's 400m Freestyle - S7 Final
Gold: Federico Bicelli (Italy)
Silver: Andrii Trusov (Ukraine)
Bronze: Inaki Basiloff (Argentina)

Women's 400m Freestyle - S7 Final
Gold: Morgan Stickney (United States)
Silver: McKenzie Coan (United States)
Bronze: Giulia Terzi (Italy)

Men's 50m Freestyle - S9 Final
Gold: Simone Barlaam (Italy)
Silver: Denis Tarasov (NPA)
Bronze: Fredrik Solberg (Norway)

Men's 50m Backstroke - S3 Final
Gold: Denys Ostapchenko (Ukraine)
Silver: Josia Tim Alexander Topf (Germany)
Bronze: Serhii Palamarchuk (Ukraine)

Women's 50m Backstroke - S3 Final
Gold: Ellie Challis (Great Britain)
Silver: Zoia Shchurova (NPA)
Bronze: Marta Fernandez Infante (Spain)

Men's 100m Breaststroke - SB14 Final
Gold: Nicholas Bennett (Canada)
Silver: Jake Michel (Australia)
Bronze: Naohide Yamaguchi (Japan)

Women's 100m Breaststroke - SB14 Final
Gold: Louise Fiddes (Great Britain)
Silver: Debora Borges Carneiro (Brazil)
Bronze: Beatriz Borges Carneiro (Brazil)

Men's 50m Freestyle - S13 Final
Gold: Ihar Boki (NPA)
Silver: Illia Yaremenko (Ukraine)
Bronze: Oleksii Virchenko (Ukraine)

Women's 50m Freestyle - S13 Final
Gold: Maria Carolina Gomes Santiago (Brazil)
Silver: Gia Pergolini (United States)
Bronze: Carlotta Gilli (Italy)

Men's 100m Breaststroke - SB4 Final
Gold: Dmitrii Cherniaev (NPA)
Silver: Antonios Tsapatakis (Greece)
Bronze: Manuel Mateo Bortuzzo (Italy)

Women's 100m Breaststroke - SB4 Final
Gold: Giulia Ghiretti (Italy)
Silver: Fanni Illes (Hungary)
Bronze: Cheng Jiao (China)

Men's 200m Freestyle - S2 Final
Gold: Gabriel Araujo (Brazil)
Silver: Vladimir Danilenko (NPA)
Bronze: Alberto Abarza (Chile)

Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay - 34 Points Final
Gold: Australia (Australia)
Silver: Netherlands (Netherlands)
Bronze: Spain (Spain)