Before the end of the Tokyo Paralympic Games, scheduled for 1 p.m. with the closing ceremony, the last events featured para badminton, a new discipline added to the program this year. In the singles tournament in the SL4 category (lower limb impairment), Lucas Mazur was masterful in the final to win the 11th gold medal for the tricolor delegation. A few minutes later in the company of Faustine Noël in mixed doubles, he will complete the French harvest with a 54th charm since the start of the Games, in silver this time.
Para badminton: Lucas Mazur, a success in solid gold
It was monstrous. Once again, one would be tempted to say, as Lucas Mazur has impressed since Wednesday, September 1 and the great debut of para badminton at the Paralympic Games. It’s quite simple, the world number one in the SL4 category hasn’t lost a single match, either in singles or in mixed doubles. At least until the last finale of the morning with Faustine Noël.
Yet against the Indian Suhas Yathiraj, whom the French had already beaten in the group stage, nothing was simple, far from it. Trailing a run to zero and struggling through the second half of the second set, the 2017 and 2019 world champion – looking exhausted at the start of the encounter, overwhelmed by the heat of Yoyogi Stadium – transformed to overthrow his opponent in three sets (15-21, 21-17, 21-15). A first title in solid gold for the 23-year-old, unsinkable in Tokyo.
Para badminton: the Noël – Mazur pair in silver in mixed doubles, last medal for France
Less than two hours after his individual title, Lucas Mazur was back on the field, this time accompanied by Faustine Noël in the final of the mixed doubles SL3 – SU5. Brave and very close to winning the first set (23-21) against the Indonesian pair Susanto Hary – Oktila Leani Ratri, world number one, the French gave up in the second set (21-17) and will have to settle for a beautiful silver medal. The last medal, the 54th, for the tricolor delegation in these Tokyo Paralympic Games.
Para shooting: Cédric Fèvre-Chevalier fails at the foot of the podium
Qualified in the final with the second best score in qualifying, Cédric Fèvre-Chevalier could claim a medal this Sunday. The Paralympic champion in London on the shot at 50 meters in R6 arrived galvanized at the time of concluding the test. But that was without taking into account a slightly better last shot from the Spaniard Juan Antonio Saavedra Reinaldo, which will allow him to grab bronze in the short game of eliminations. Obviously frustrating for the French…
Para athletics: the hair-raising sprint between de Rozario and Schaer in the T54 marathon
Excluding the French, it was one of the highlights that animated the night. After more than 1h38 of effort during the marathon in the T54 category (wheelchair athletes with spinal cord injuries), Australian Madison de Rozario and Swiss Manuela Schaer battled for victory until the very last meters of the race. ordeal, as the two women entered the national stadium, shoulder to shoulder. In a final acceleration, it was the first to cross the finish line in the lead to adorn herself with gold. A breathtaking duel to relive on video.
