Brazil Win First Para-Athletics Gold In Paris

Brazil’s Julio Agripino dos Santos got the para-athletics off to a flying start by winning gold, and setting a new world record in the first race on day two of the Paris Paralympic Games.

The crowd in the Stade de France erupted in cheers as the 33-year-old crossed the line five seconds ahead of the previous fastest time in the men’s T11 5,000m.

ParalympicsGB’s Zachary Shaw impressed in the second race of the day after a photo finish saw him qualify for the final of the men’s T12 100m. Eden Rainbow-Cooper also progressed in the women’s T54 5000m.

There are 42 gold medals up for grabs on Friday, with many to come later in the pool.

GB champions Tully Kearney and Maisie Summers-Newton look set to retain their titles after comfortably winning their respective heats – S5 100m freestyle and SM6 200m individual medley.

Also going for gold Friday evening are twins Scarlett and Eliza Humphrey in the S11 400m freestyle.

Over in the rowing, GB’s Benjamin Pritchard set a Paralympic Games best time in the PR1 men’s single sculls heats to set him up for the finals.

Meanwhile, in the velodrome, Jody Cundy got his eighth Paralympics off to a strong start by booking a place in the men’s C4-5 1,000m time trial. He will be joined by team-mates Archie Atkinson and Blaine Hunt at 14:52.

The visually-impaired athlete stormed past his team-mate and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic champion, Yeltsin Jacques to cross the line in a world-record time of 14 minutes 48.85 seconds.

The race was so fast Jacques set a personal best to take bronze and Karasawa claimed an area record in silver.

In the second race of the day, GB’s Shaw blasted out of the blocks to qualify after a photo finish for the final of the men’s T12 100m (Saturday), where he will aim to upgrade the bronze medal he won at this year’s world championships.

The 24-year-old, who was making his Paralympics debut, landed just 0.01secs ahead of Brazil’s Kesley Teodoro.