Tokyo Paralympic Games: fourth medal for cyclist Alexandre Léauté, forty-three French podiums – archyde

The night was less prolific than others for the French, Thursday, September 2, at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo. But she still brought back two new medals for the France team, bringing its total to forty-two medals. Cyclist Alexandre Léauté notably finished his Games with as many podiums as individual events. The French won bronze in the road race (category C1-C3).

“At 20, getting four medals, I don’t have the words, it’s just fantastic”, relishes the hemiplegic Breton, who pedals only with one leg. Despite “A complicated weather, with a lot of rain, dangerous turns”, Alexandre Léauté was the fastest of the chasing group, arriving almost seven minutes after the British duo who climbed on the first two steps of the podium, after a hilly course of 79 kilometers.

“In the last bump, I was really at the limit, it was going up very quickly. I thought about all the sacrifices I made he delivers. I’m a competitor, and three medals wasn’t enough for me, I needed a fourth. ” First gold medalist of the French delegation after his victory in the individual pursuit (category C2), he then took silver in the kilometer and bronze in the road time trial. “I hope to be in Paris [en] 2024, there will be my relatives. It will be in France, I will be expected, I think, with what I did this year ”, projected the cyclist.

Bronze for Marie Patouillet, money in teams

Cyclist Marie Patouillet won the second French medal of the night. Already a bronze medalist on the track in pursuit (category C5), she again won third place on Thursday in the road road race. The 33-year-old doctor was beaten, like Alexandre Léauté, by two Britons.

Later in the day, the French team won the silver medal in the team relay (category H1-5), in road cycling. Riadh Tarsim, Florian Joanny and Loïc Vergnaud thus became vice-champions. It is Italy which climbs to the first place of the podium.

France thus totaled forty-three medals, including seven in gold, and climbed to fourteenth place in the ranking of countries. The French delegation still has good chances of winning medals on Thursday with sprinter Timothée Adolphe, who will compete in the 100 meters final (T11 category) and swimmers Claire Supiot, Anaëlle Roulet and Emeline Pierre, qualified for the final of their category.