Switzerland shone in the Paralympic wheelchair marathons, with Catherine Debrunner winning the women’s race and Marcel Hug dominating the men’s event. The Netherlands secured the women’s wheelchair basketball title, denying the United States. China finished atop the medals table with 94 golds, followed by Britain and the USA.
After a successful six weeks of competition in Paris, with venues being dismantled, the closing ceremony was set to take place at the Stade de France. Debrunner, who won multiple golds on the track, expressed her happiness at winning the marathon. Australian athlete Madison de Rozario claimed silver despite personal tragedy.
British Paralympic legend David Weir bid farewell in Paris after finishing fifth in his final event. A minute’s silence was held for Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, who tragically passed away after a horrific attack. The Dutch women’s wheelchair basketball team secured back-to-back titles, while the men’s team from the USA also emerged victorious.
Organisers promised a vibrant closing ceremony with DJs performing at the Stade de France. The Olympic cauldron would be extinguished, symbolizing the handover from Paris to Los Angeles for the next games in 2028. The medals table saw the Netherlands in fourth, Brazil in fifth, and Italy in sixth place. Despite facing challenges due to the war, Ukraine finished in seventh place, while France was eighth.
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