a rain of medals for the French in para-cycling

The French Paralympic workforce received, Tuesday, August 31, a fifth gold medal due to Alexandre Lloveras and his information Corentin Ermenault on the street time trial (class B). They dominated the Dutchman Vincent Schure from begin to end, helped by his driver Timo Fransen. The Spaniards Christian Venge Balboa and Noel Martin Infante accomplished the rostrum.

Vice-world champion within the specialty, the French pair associating cyclists Alexandre Lloveras, visually impaired from start, to former skilled Corentin Ermenault had left pissed off along with his fourth place on the observe within the particular person pursuit. That is the primary Paralympic Video games for 20-year-old Alexander Lloveras, who got here to biking in 2018 solely, after working towards high-level athletics.

He defined, just a few days in the past, having had “stars in his eyes” when he realized of his affiliation with Corentin Ermenault, 25 years previous, former skilled peloton inside the Very important Idea workforce, who had confided to have “carried out a burn out of the bike “earlier than returning to the observe with Alexandre.

The athlete Charles-Antoine Kouakou additionally received gold within the Tokyo stadium within the closing of the 400m T20 (class reserved for the intellectually disabled). The 23-year-old native of Paris accomplished the lap in 47 sec 63 forward of Venezuelan Luis Felipe Rodriguez Bolivar (47 sec 71) and Briton Columba Blango (47 sec 81).

It is usually the third medal of French tailored sport, the counterpart of disabled sports activities for folks with cognitive disabilities, since Léa Ferney (silver) and Lucas Créange (bronze) had paved the way in which in desk tennis.

A 3rd medal for Alexandre Léauté

For his half, Alexandre Léauté is unstoppable. The French bike owner received a 3rd medal on the Tokyo Paralympic Video games. He took bronze within the street time trial (C2).

“I used to be unfortunate with my entrance vary which has derailed a number of occasions”, nevertheless regretted the world champion of the self-discipline on this class since June.

First gold medalist of the French delegation after profitable Thursday, on the observe of the Izu velodrome, the person pursuit, the 20-year-old Breton climbed the following day on the second step of the kilometer (C1-3).

“I believe doing a number of observe occasions didn’t profit me, my rivals did just one however I’m not on the lookout for excuses, they had been stronger right this moment”, judges the one who has additionally competed on Saturday in workforce dash, which he completed in fourth place.

In the direction of a fourth medal?

He can nonetheless hope for a fourth podium for his first Video games on Thursday within the street race. “A fourth medal, it is likely to be sophisticated, however given what occurred, I will be revenge”, tasks the bike owner who pedals just one leg, having misplaced 95% of his muscle energy proper facet resulting from stroke at start.

The day of the time trial at Fuji Speedway is a hit for French cyclists as Loïc Vergnaud took the silver for his first Video games at 41 along with his hand bike (H5). Tibial amputee of his proper leg after an accident at work in 2004, he’s aiming for a second podium within the street race on Wednesday, along with his standing as vice-world champion.

Florian Jouanny additionally received his first Paralympic medal along with his handbike (H2). He received bronze as on the world championships in June. A quadriplegic following a snowboarding accident ten years in the past, he can nonetheless use a few of his arms and is hoping for an additional podium on Wednesday as a world medalist.

Due to its new awards, the French delegation now has 33 medals, six of that are gold. She has already exceeded Rio’s complete (28) and is simply two items away from the purpose of 35 podiums set earlier than the Video games.

With AFP