Elena Kravchov’s amazing feat: Just a few weeks after winning her first Paralympic gold medal in Tokyo in 2021, Elena Krawzow of Germany was told she had a cancerous brain tumor. Once more, after three years, the German went to the Paralympic Games to protect her 100m breaststroke SB12 title at La Defense Arena.
Krawzow not only won the gold medal in Paris in 2024, but she also beat her own world record from five years ago (1:12.54).
It’s hard for me to believe that. I had a hard time three years ago after being told I had autism. The most important thing for me was to beat my personal best (PB), and I did it today. It is truly amazing. I have nothing to say. She said, “I’m just happy.”
I only live one day at a time, so I’ll enjoy it and see what happens. It is not that far away. Up to that point, who can say what will take place?
Five world records were set in the pool at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on Thursday. Hers was one of them.
In the morning heats, Krawzow’s partner Taliso Engel set a new record for the men’s 100m breaststroke SB13. He then came back in the evening to win the gold medal.
As of Thursday, Guo Jincheng of China had two gold medals and two world records. He came in first in the men’s 50m freestyle S5 (29.33), and then he swam on China’s mixed 4x50m medley relay 20 points team with Lu Dong, Zhang Li, and Wang Lichao (2:24.83).
Jincheng did it while swimming without goggles or a cap.
I’m not used to those things. I do not like the way that I am,. In the 50m freestyle S5, the swimmer who won gold with Yuan Weiyi and bronze with Wang Lichao said, “I never swim with them.”
Maria Pavlova, a neutral para-athlete, set a new world record in the women’s 100m breaststroke SB7 event and won gold in 1:26.09.
Timothy Hodge of Australia won his first individual Games title in the men’s 200m medley SM9 with a time of 2:13.31, setting a new Paralympic record. It was the biggest event at La Defense Arena on Thursday. The French crowd had a lot to be happy about because Ugo Didier came in second and Hector Delayer came in third.
