The ninth day of the Paris Paralympics brought a mix of thrilling victories and heartbreaking near misses. Ukraine dominated the judo competition, claiming a gold and two bronze medals. Nataliya Nikolaychuk secured gold in the women’s -48kg J1 for athletes with partial sight, while Anzhela Havrysiuk and Davyd Khorava took bronze in their respective categories.
Meanwhile, the USA wheelchair basketball team powered their way into the finals, defeating Canada 80-43. They will now face Great Britain, who earlier in the day secured their spot with a 71-43 win over Germany.
Italian fencing star Bebe Vio, a face of Nike’s Paralympics campaign, continued her quest for gold despite facing disappointment. After losing her semi-final in the women’s foil category B on Wednesday, Vio missed out on another gold medal opportunity in the team event. The Italian team, despite a valiant effort, fell to China 45-41 in the semi-finals. However, they salvaged a bronze medal by defeating Hong Kong. While Vio added to her Paralympic medal total, now standing at six, this Paralympics has been a challenging experience for the 27-year-old.
India will join the competition on Day 9, with Yash Kumar set to compete in the Men’s Kayak Single 200m – KL1 Heats. As the Paralympics continue, keep your eyes peeled for more thrilling action and inspiring performances from athletes around the world.
