Paris 2024: Big moments on Day 7
Semi-final heartache for Bebe Vio in wheelchair fencing Jordan’s Omar Sami Hamden Qarada won first Para powerlifting gold of Paris Cyclists Sarah Storey and Oksana Masters shine on the road 04 Sep 2024
As the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games continue, we're bringing you the cannot-miss sport updates and behind the scenes magic moments. Follow for updates throughout the day.
Qarada powers to opening gold
Jordan’s Omar Sami Hamden Qarada won the first Para powerlifting gold of the Games with a lift of 181kg clinching gold in the men’s up to 49kg final.
Türkiye's Abdullah Kayapinar took the silver medal with 180kg and Vietnam’s collecting bronze with 171kg.
Qarada said, “At Tokyo I was the gold medal winner and since then I have participated in many competitions where I have always been the gold medal winner. I have worked hard for it.”
Qarada has now set his sights on beating the world record of 185kg.
In the women’s up to 41kg final China’s Cup She won gold with a Paralympic record of 119kg, with Nigeria’s Esther Nworgu and Brazil’s Lara Aparecida de Lima taking silver and bronze respectively.
Wheelchair fencing semi-final heartache for Bebe
Italy's Bebe Vio saw her hopes of defending her Paralympic wheelchair fencing women's foil category B title ended at the semi-final stage by China's Xiao Rong.
In a bout that included a lengthy delay in its early stages, Bebe - who was a torch bearer in the Opening Ceremony - fell behind 12-4.
She battled back to within four points at 13-9, only for Xiao to clinch victory with the final two points.
Bebe recovered quickly to win a repechage match against China's Kang Su, and came out strong for the bout against Republic of Korea's Cho Eun Hye, winning 15-2 to secure her bronze medal.
Xiao will go for gold versus Thailand's Jana Saysunee.
World record throw clinches Para javelin gold
Islamic Republic of Iran’s Saeid Afrooz surpassed the world record that he set in the same city just over 12 months ago to win the men’s javelin F43.
Afrooz threw a distance of 41.16m to beat Colombia’s Maurico Valencia into second place, with his compatriot Diego Fernando Meneses Medina taking the bronze in third.
Afrooz said, “I’m very happy to come here to Paris and get the gold medal. I got a new world record too. I’ve been working hard. It’s a dream of mine.”
Elsewhere in the Para athletics morning session, Tunisia’s Raoua Tlili won in the women’s discus throw F41 to seal her third consecutive Paralympic title in the discipline and Canada’s Greg Stewart took gold in the men’s men’s shot put F46.
Storey and Masters shine on the road
Para cycling pair Sarah Storey and Oksana Masters both sealed gold medals as competition moved from the track to the road.
Team GB’s Storey extended her own record to 18 Paralympic gold medals in the C5 individual time trial.
USA’s Masters defended her H4-H5 individual time trial title from Tokyo 2020 as races took place in Clichy-sous-Bous.
Masters said, “I had no idea where I was when I first crossed the finish line. And then all of a sudden, very vaguely, I hear ‘gold for USA’. And I was like ‘did they just say gold?’ I can’t believe it.”
Yang retains Para table tennis title
Natalia Partyka’s hopes of a fifth Para table tennis singles gold medal were ended for the second straight Paralympics by Australia’s Qian Yang.
Yang - who beat Partyka at the semi-final stage at Tokyo 2020 and also in the most recent World Championships - recorded a 3-0 win to retain the gold medal.
Yang said, “I’m very excited and happy to have this, after Tokyo. Before the match, I didn’t expect that I would win.
“But I prepared well, I tried to predict where Natalia was going to hit me.”
Yang is now being tipped to represent Australia at the next Olympic Games.
