News Details
Paralympic Games PARIS 2024 - Highlights
Updated : 28/08/2024
Portugal's 11th participation in the Paralympic Games added new triumphs to the 94 medals won in previous editions.
Portugal won 7 medals and 18 diplomas, in what was the best Portuguese participation of the last 20 years in Paralympic Games.
In this edition our country was represented with 27 athletes, including 7 rookies who competed in a record number of 10 sports.
Here are the highlights for the medallists and diplomats of this edition.
Sandro Baessa wins silver in the 1500m T20
The Portuguese athlete played a final stretch of the course in high rotation and was runner-up Paralympic with the national record of 3:49.46 in what is already the fifth Portuguese medal in Paris 2024.
The British Ben Sandilands won the gold with the world record of 3:45.40 and the American Michael Brannigan closed the podium with the bronze and the time of 3:49.91.
As I know I have a good end, I knew that in the last few meters I would be able to get closer to the front and who knows how to overcome them. When I finished the race they handed me the flag and I went straight to Lenin [Cunha]. I'm not a crying person, I couldn't stand it and I started crying with Lenin in my arms. It's hard to describe, a brutal feeling," said Sandro Baessa in the aftermath of the race.
More information at https://tinyurl.com/45wuu4ws
António Pedro Santos/LUSA
Image description: Sandro Baessa landing to with a smile holding the silver medal in his right hand.
Luís Costa wins bronze
Bronze medal in the H5 road cycling time trial at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. The Portuguese cyclist recorded the time of 44:26.32 in the 28.3km of the course with a formidable recovery in the last segment that earned him the third place on the podium.
It's the work of a whole career. To get here and win this medal, I have to share it with the people who help me and with the Portuguese people who I know like medals. It was until it burst, always in the red line, every kilometer that passed I saw that I was better than in the first lap and I began to believe. I thought that today I had to give a medal", said Luís Costa in the aftermath of the race.
More information at https://tinyurl.com/bdc62bbw
CPP
Image description: Paracyclist Luís Costa with a big smile holding the bronze medal in his right hand.
Miguel Monteiro won the gold medal in the launch of the F40 weight of athletics
At the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in the Stade de France in Paris, Portuguese pitcher Miguel Monteiro won the competition with a throw of 11.21 meters at the third rehearsal and broke the Paralympic record. Battulga Tsegmid (Mongolia) was second with 11.09 meters and Garrah Tnaiash (Iraq) took bronze with 11.03 meters. This was the first Portuguese gold medal at the Paralympic Games since Beijing 2008.
It was a very competitive race, although having passed the second rehearsal it was always possible that someone else did better than me. The third rehearsal was really good, I think I can do even better but that's for the next one. I am very happy for this Paralympic medal, today was our day", said Miguel Monteiro in the aftermath of the competition.
More information at https://tinyurl.com/2uy282ab
António Pedro Santos/LUSA
Image description: Miguel Monteiro smiling at the photo with the gold medal in his right hand and holding the “Olympic Phryge” mascot of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Cristina Gonçalves holds third gold medal for Portugal in Paris 2024
1 September 2024 was a memorable day for the national Paralympic sport. Cristina Gonçalves closed the competitive day of the fifth day of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games with a golden key as she became the Paralympic champion in individual BC2 boccia with an undisputed victory in the final against Korean Soyeong Jeong 4-1 at the Paris South Arena. This is Cristina Gonçalves' fourth Paralympic medal after gold in Athens 2004, silver in Beijing 2008 and bronze in Rio 2016, all on the team side.
More information at https://tinyurl.com/mun73jt8
António Pedro Santos/LUSA
Image description: Cristina Gonçalves, in the wheelchair, with the gold medal hanging around her neck, arms in the air, celebrating.
Diogo Cancela is a bronze medalist!
Diogo Cancela won the bronze medal in the 200-metre SM8 swimming styles at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. The Portuguese swimmer covered the distance at 2:23.64 and thus secured third place on the podium. The Chinese Haijiao Xu and Guanglong Yang won gold and silver, respectively, with 2:22.54 and 2:23.50.
"In 2021 I had the dream of going to the Games, it became a goal. In 2024 I had the dream of going to the medals and now that is a goal that is fulfilled. It's a great year and we deserve it, me and my coaches, we had a very hard season, with several injuries, so I'm very happy," said Diogo Cancela in the aftermath of the race.
Still in swimming, Marco Meneses secured his second Paralympic diploma in the competition through the 5th place obtained in the 100 meters backstroke S11 swimming with a time of 1:09.31.
More information at https://tinyurl.com/bdh3s9uk
Adam Pretty
Image description: Diogo Cancela, with a big smile still in the water, in the pool, with the white cap and glasses on his head.
Djibrilo Iafa of bronze gives the 100th medal to Portugal in Paralympic Games
Djibrilo Iafa won this afternoon at the Arena Champs de Mars the bronze medal in -73 J1 judo by beating Brazilian Harlley Arruda (BRA) with a waza-ari in the match that decided the attribution of third place in the category. This is the first medal of Portugal in the sport of Judo in Paralympic Games and the 100th Portuguese medal in Paralympics.
When my coach said, 'It's over!' I couldn't believe the fight was over. The fight was divided, he was always on the defensive and I had to adapt my judo. Here are the best in the world, we have to adapt to adversity, I am very happy and Portugal is to be congratulated", said Djibrilo Iafa in the aftermath of the race.
Until he reached the medal match, Djibrilo Iafa defeated the Turkish Gokce Yavuz and gave in to the German Lennart Sassa who made him proceed to the re-fishing where he surpassed the French Armindo Rodrigues and, later, the Brazilian Harlley Arruda.
More information at https://tinyurl.com/eh88zuer
António Borga/CPP António Pedro Santos/LUSACarolina Duarte wins bronze in the 400 metres T13
Carolina Duarte won this Saturday the bronze in the 400 meters T13 (visual impairment) at the Paralympic Games Paris'2024, securing the seventh medal for Portugal in the competition. At the Stade de France, the Portuguese, who had been the fastest in the qualifiers (55.99 seconds), ran the final in 55.52, finishing behind Azeri Lamyia Valiyeva, who was silver with 55.09, and Brazilian Rayane Silva, who secured gold as a new world record (53.55). In the end, the Portuguese athlete spoke of the emotion of climbing to the podium, of the sacrifices she made, recognizing that the support for the preparation is already satisfactory, but still regrets that not everyone looks at the Paralympic sport in the same way.
Source/further information: https://tinyurl.com/24sjt2fp
António Pedro Santos/LUSA
Image description: Carolina Duarte smiling at the photo with the bronze medal in her left hand and holding the “Olympic Phryge” mascot of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in her right hand.
List of diplomas
Telmo Pinão 7th place - 3000m individual track cycling chase
Marco Meneses 5th place - 400 meters S11 swimming | 5th place in the 100m coasts S11 | 6th place 200 meters styles SM11
Carla Oliveira 6th place - BC4
Beatriz Monteiro 5th place - SU5 badminton.
Margarida Lapa 4th place - R5 Shot carbine SH2
Filipe Marques 4th place - triathlon class PTS5
Alex Santos 8th place - 200m KL1 canoeing
Norberto Mourão 4th place - 200m VL2 canoeing
Tomás Cordeiro 8th place - 200m SM10 swimming styles
Daniel Videira 8th place - 100m back S6
Diogo Cancel 7th place - 100m moth S8
Anne-Philippe of France 7th place - long jump T20
Luis Costa (disambiguation) 4th place - 56.8km H5 road cycling line
Miguel Vieira 7th place - -60kg J1 judo
Mamud Balde 5th place - 100m T54
André Ramos 5th place - BC1 de boccia