Didier wins first gold for France at 2024 Paris Paralympics

paul myers

Thu, 29 Aug 2024, 3:59 pm·1-min read

Ugo Didier on Thursday went one better on his performance at the Tokyo Olympics to win France's first gold medal of the 2024 Paralympics when he claimed the 400m freestyle S9 at the Paris La Défense Arena.

The 22-year-old Frenchman secured his first Paralympic gold in four minutes, 12.55 seconds. Simone Barlaam from Italy took the silver and the Australian Brenden Hall won the bronze.

"I'm happy that the hard work has paid off," said Didier who was born with clubbed feet.

"It's my time to win," he added. "I followed the race plan and it worked really well."

His victory on the first day of competition was greeted with a raucous din from the 15,000 partisans packed into the arena.

"The noise from the supporters was fantastic," he added. "I really appreciated it. And it is something I will never forget. Normally at events we don't have such crowds making noise like that. It was incredible."

Participation

During the Paris Paralympics, Didier will also compete in the 50m freestyle, 100m backstroke and 200m individual medley for swimmers who have slight problems coordinating their arms and legs or who have a missing limb.

A few hours before his triumph, Marie Patouillet won France's first medal of the Games when she claimed siiver in the C4-5 500m time trial at the Vélodrome National in Saint Quentin-en-Yvelines