Paris Paralympics: Caroline Groot gets Games off to a rousing start

Netherlands cyclist wins first gold medal of Paralympics on Thursday

Netherlands' Caroline Groot after winning golf in the women's C4-5 500m time trial at the Paris Paralympics. AP

Track cyclist Caroline Groot of the Netherlands got the Paris Paralympics up and running by winning the first gold medal of the Games on Thursday.

Groot won the final of the C4 and C5 classifications in the 500m time trial in women’s track cycling. It was the first medal event of the Paralympics 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, 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, while C5 is for cyclists with less severe impairments.

Meanwhile, UAE minister of sports Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi backed the national team contingent to make the country proud at the Paralympics.

Al Falasi visited the residence of the UAE delegation participating at the Paralympics, along with Ghanim Mubarak Al Hajeri, director general of the UAE General Authority of Sports, and Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum, executive director of the Sports Development Sector.

“The resolve of the people of determination to raise the UAE flag high at the world’s largest events has always been our source of pride. We are confident that their participation in the Paris Paralympic Games will mark a new chapter of excellence in the UAE’s sports journey,” Al Falasi said.

“We will continue to support and nurture our people of determination champions so that their success is distinguished and sustainable on the international stage, setting an example for elevating UAE sports to new levels.”

Also, all triathlon events at the Paris Paralympics will take place on Sunday due to concerns that stormy weather could stir up pollution in the Seine river, organisers announced on Thursday.

The triathlon events were originally scheduled to happen over two days - Sunday and Monday - but those initially scheduled for the second have been brought forward due to the "high level of uncertainty" of the weather forecast over the coming days.

"All eleven medal events will now take place on September 1, instead of across two days. This decision has been taken to provide athletes and coaches with as much certainty as possible," organisers said in a statement.

The decision was made following a meeting between governing body World Triathlon, Paris 2024 organisers and the relevant French authorities involved in monitoring the water quality of the Seine.

The issue caused disruption to the Olympics triathlon and open-water swimming events, with several practice sessions being cancelled due to high levels of pollution caused by heavy rainfall.

Of 11 days of events and training scheduled in the river during the Olympics, only five got the green light.

At the Games, former Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp was in attendance as he gave support to his friend Wojtek Czyz who battled back from an horrific football injury to become a multiple Paralympic champion.

Klopp was in the stands at La Chapelle Arena on Thursday to support his 44-year-old friend as he competed in the badminton competition at Paris 2024.

The pair have known each other for more than 20 years after Czyz, a four-time Paralympic champion in athletics who has switched to compete in badminton for New Zealand, suffered the injury that not only ended his football career but led to his leg being amputated.

Klopp was far from a lucky charm though as Czyz lost 21-5, 21-2 against Britain's Daniel Bethell, the second seed, but the Champions League winning coach said the result was less important than taking part.

"I couldn't be prouder of him. Yesterday we were standing in front of the Eiffel Tower and we thought wow, it's super, super special," Klopp said.

"That's another thing being here I sit next to his incredible wife Elena, and we both had tears in our eyes, because I know sport is always about results, about winning, but that's much more behind that story and being here, it's always so touching that I couldn't get my head around it."