PARIS — Track cyclist Caroline Groot of the Netherlands won the first gold medal of the Paralympic Games and Chinese Paralympians claimed four on the first day of competition Thursday. Groot won the final of the 500-meter time trial in women’s track cycling for the C4 and C5 classifications. It was the first medal event of the Games that opened with a spectacular ceremony on Wednesday.
Groot went last after watching C4 world record holder Kadeena Cox crash on her attempt. The British cyclist was denied the opportunity of restarting because a mechanical error was not to blame for her fall. Groot won in 35.
390 seconds, a world record in C5. French cyclist Marie Patouillet (C5) took the silver for France’s first medal of the Games, and Canada’s Kate O’Brien (C4) took bronze. C1 to C5 are para cycling classifications for athletes with physical impairments that affect their legs, arms and/or trunk causing issues with functionality who can use a standard bicycle.
C4 is for cyclists with lower limb impairments or issues with lower limb functionality caused by the likes of cerebral palsy, amputations and other lower limb impairments, while C5 is for cyclists with less severe impairments. China dominates Chinese athletes followed Groot’s feat on the track with Li Zhangyu winning the men’s C1 3000m individual pursuit ahead of compatriot Weicong Liang, and Xiaomei Wang winning the women’s C1-3 3000m individual pursuit. Para swimming yielded two more golds for China with .