Mandy François-Elie in the 100m of the T37 category, Tiffany Logette-Lods in the T11: the French sprinters qualified for the final and semi-final of their category on Wednesday morning, pending the big races in the evening.
The day after his fifth place in the long jump, category T37, Mandy François-Elie secured a new final on Wednesday by finishing with the 5th time in the half. With a time of 13.66, she achieved the best time of her personal season. Still in the 100m, but in the T11 category, which includes some athletes with visual impairments, Tiffany Logette-Lods, 27, is joining the semi-final. “The objective now is the half, we will see after what can happen”, reacted the sprinter. Her compatriot Delya Boulaghlem was disqualified in the same event. The fault lies with her guide Joachim Berland, who crossed the line before her.
The evening will be the scene of new podium chances for the French, a day after Manon Genest’s bronze in the long run – the first tricolor medal of the competition – in the 100, 200 and 400m finals. With even at least a second medal guaranteed – and two quotas for the Paralympic Games – at the end of the 400 m men’s T11 (visual impairment) of Timothée Adolphe, reigning world champion, and Trésor Makunda. In 200m (T13), the co-captain of the Blues and 2016 Paralympic champion in the 400m, Nantenin Keita will be engaged alongside young Alice Metais and Célia Terki, 22 years old. Finally, Axel Zorzi will try to get a podium in 100m, category T13.
As for foreign performances, Wednesday morning gave rise to three new world records, the first achieved by the Brazilian Elizabeth Rodrigues in wheelchair shot put. An improved record since it already held the last benchmark performance since last June. The Brazilians were in the spotlight on Wednesday with another gold medal in the F56 discus throw for Claudiney Bastista Dos Santos, and several performances in the heats of the 100, 200 and 1500 m.
The second record is to be attributed to the Uzbek Doniyor Saliev, crowned in the long jump (T12). His compatriot Bobirjon Omonov won gold in the F41 shot put. Double Paralympic champion in the 400m T20 and already world record holder, the American Breanna Clark once again exploded the counters on Wednesday to afford gold. At the same time, it improves, by 6/100th, the world reference time it had achieved at the last Paralympic Games in Tokyo, in 2021. China dominates the medal table of these world championships in Paris with 18 medals ( eight in gold), including a new title on Wednesday gleaned by sprinter Yang Hu in the final of the 400m T54.
