Paralympics: Belgium claim six medals in one day
Wednesday was a successful day for Belgium at the Paralympic Games in Paris as the team won six medals, taking their total from the Games so far to nine. A 10th is guaranteed on Saturday.
Léa Bayekula won gold in the 100m T54 wheelchair sprint at the Stade de France, setting a new Paralympic record of 15.50. The 29-year-old races again on Thursday in the 400m, where she holds the world record.
Earlier in the day, dressage rider Michèle George claimed her sixth Paralympic title, her third in the individual grade V test. With Friday’s team competition and Saturday’s freestyle test, the 50-year-old has the chance to equal and overtake the record haul of wheelchair sprinter Paul Van Winkel, who won seven golds at the Games in the 1980s.
Belgium’s cyclists also won four medals in the time trial competition. Ewoud Vromant (C2 class) and Maxime Hordies (H1) took silver, while Tim Celen (T1-2) and Jonas Van de Steene (H4) took bronze. Louis Clincke (C4) and Marvin Odent (H3) fell just short of the podium in fourth place.
In table tennis, Laurens Devos (TT9) won his quarter-final against Swede Daniel Gustafsson, ensuring him at least a bronze medal from Saturday’s semi-final.
Belgium currently sit 24th in the medal table, with three gold, three silver and three bronze. In Tokyo, they won 15 medals: four gold, three silver and eight bronze. China top the 2024 table with 135 medals, ahead of Great Britain and Northern Ireland with 74 and the USA with 63.
Léa Bayekula © BELGA PHOTO LAURIE DIEFFEMBACQ
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