Brazil won two more gold medals in athletics on Monday (2) in Paris with Claudiney Batista, who became a three-time champion in the javelin throw, and Beth Gomes in the shot put, increasing the total number of medals in the sport to 13. This is almost half of the country’s 30 podiums in this edition of the Paralympic Games. In addition to these victories, six other Brazilians qualified for the finals and will fight for the podium starting at 5 am (Brasília time) on Tuesday (3).
On Monday afternoon (2), Beth Gomes, current Paralympic champion in javelin throw, returns to the scene to defend her title in javelin, her specialty, starting at 2:04 p.m., and three compatriots (Lorena Spoladore, Jerusa Geber and Jhulia Karol) compete in the semifinals of the 100m class T11 (visual impairment) events at 2:20 p.m. Since last Saturday (August 31), the competitions in Paris have live broadcast online (on streaming) on the Paralympic Games YouTube channel.
The first to celebrate the podium and the third championship, with the right to a Paralympic record, was Claudiney Batista, 45, from Minas Gerais. The thrower in the F56 class (athletes who compete seated) managed to set the mark of 46.86 meters. The silver went to Indian Yogesh Katuniya (42.22m) and the bronze to Greek Konstantinos Tzounis (41.32m).
“It’s a mix of emotions. I’m happy with this third championship, it’s a lot of training, a lot of focus, a lot of determination, I trained a lot during this acclimatization. At this moment, anything goes: food, rest, the great structure that the committee gave us in Troyes.” [na França]. I had some discomfort in my back, I was apprehensive, but at that moment the adrenaline rose, I didn’t feel any pain and everything went well”, celebrated Claudiney, in a statement to the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB).
The flag bearer at the opening of the Paris Games, Beth Gomes from São Paulo, an athlete in the F53 class (for wheelchair athletes with polio, spinal cord injuries and amputations) was elated after winning silver in the shot put in the F53/54 classes. The Brazilian competed against opponents from a class above hers, the F54, which includes athletes with less physical and motor impairments. Mexican Gloria Zarza Guadarrama, from the F54 class, won gold with a mark of 8.06m and the bronze went to Uzbek Nurkhon Kurbanova (7.75m), an athlete in the F54 class.
This medal is leaving me with a sense of accomplishment, because I competed in a class above my own, and I believed I had a chance. And I went for the silver medal in the last throw, with a taste of gold, with a world record. Congratulations to all the athletes who participated, gratitude is my only word”, said Beth Gomes who burst into tears after the end of the race. The athlete explained the reason for her tears: “Come on [à cabeça] the setback of everything I went through, of reclassifications, of being left out of Rio 2016, which was my chance to win a medal in the shot put. And God wanted me to come to this Paralympics, in a secondary event, and come to get the long-awaited medal in 2026. It’s a lot of emotion, a lot of gratitude.”
Current champion in the discus throw, Beth Gomes will defend her title in this event later today, at 2:04 pm (Brazilian time). The Brazilian already won gold this year in the event at the World Championships in Kobe (Japan).
Semifinals starting at 2:20 pm this Monday (2)
Three Brazilians advanced to the semifinals of the 100m T11 class (visual impairment), starting at 2:20 pm this Monday (2). Lorena Spladore led her heat this morning and set her best time of the season: 12.11. Jerusa Geber from Acre (12.57) also advanced to the semifinals with first place in her heat. The last Brazilian to compete was Jhulia Karol from Paraná (12.56), also guaranteed a place in the semifinals.
Brazilians guaranteed finals on Tuesday (3)
Six representatives of the country performed well in the qualifying rounds this morning and secured their place in the medal match starting at 5 am on Tuesday (2). Yeltsin Jacques from Mato Grosso do Sul and Júlio César Agripino from São Paulo – both of whom have already been on the podium in Paris – will fight for a podium finish in the 1,500m T11 (visual impairment) final. The fastest time in the qualifying round was achieved by Yeltsin: 4min03s22, his best time of the season. His compatriot Agripino advanced with the fourth fastest time (4min10s10).
The women’s final of the 1,500m T54 class (wheelchair users), starting at 7:25 am, will feature Aline Rocha from Panama. Aline came in fifth place in her heat, the last position that guaranteed qualification for the final. Vanessa Cristina from São Paulo came in eighth place (3min30s86) in another heat and is out of the final.
