Swiss Double In Paralympic Wheelchair Marathons, Dutch Women Retain Basketball Title

Paris, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Sep, 2024) Switzerland won both Paralympic wheelchair marathons on Sunday while the Netherlands secured back-to-back women's wheelchair basketball titles, denying the USA on the final day of competition.

China finished top of the medals table in Paris, as they have for every Paralympics since Athens in 2004. They had 94 golds, followed by Britain with 49 and the USA with 36.

As the six weeks of Olympics and Paralympics fever in the City of Light drew to a close, venues were being dismantled before the closing ceremony in the Stade de France.

Early in the morning, Catherine Debrunner propelled her racing wheelchair through the autumnal chill in the streets of Paris to win the women's marathon.

The 29-year-old Swiss athlete added to the four gold medals she has already won on the track at these Games, ranging from the 400 metres to the 5,000m, with a silver medal in the T53 100m thrown in for good measure.

"I'm extremely exhausted but very happy," said Debrunner. "Winning this marathon means everything to me because to end this Paralympics with this is really something special.

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Madison de Rozario of Australia took a courageous silver medal behind her, competing despite the death of her father on the day of the Paris opening ceremony.

Marcel Hug, 38, made up for a disappointing Games on the track by dominating the men's wheelchair marathon, finishing three minutes and 40 seconds ahead of Hua Jin of China.

One of Britain's greatest Paralympic athletes of all time, David Weir, announced Paris was his last Games after he finished fifth.

"It's my last event for Great Britain," 45-year-old Weir said. "No more international racing for me. I'll do the city marathons.

"I feel proud and I am very emotional."

A minute's silence was held after one of the women's marathons in memory of Rebecca Cheptegei, the Ugandan Olympic marathon runner who died this week after an attack by her partner.

Cheptegei had finished 44th in the women's marathon on August 11.