Triathlons finally go ahead at Paralympics and Hanquinquant delights home fans with gold

PARIS -- Triathlon events at the Paralympic Games finally got the green light Monday after water quality issues, and home favorite Alexis Hanquinquant seized his chance to defend his title and claim France’s second gold medal of the day.

The Normandy native finished in 58 minutes, 1 second — almost three minutes ahead of American Carson Clough and Spain’s Nil Riudavets Victory, who claimed silver and bronze, respectively, in the men’s PTS4 class triathlon.

Hanquinquant, already No. 1 in the World Triathlon Para Rankings, raised his arms in triumph and pointed to his name as the home fans cheered, while the athletes finishing behind him slumped to the ground in exhaustion.

“It was really a perfect race, I even allowed myself the luxury of slowing down on the last lap. The crowd was incredible. I heard ‘Alexis, Alexis’ all the way through,” Hanquinquant said. “Doing it at home is exceptional, I’m so happy, it’s so beautiful.”

Hanquinquant had his right leg amputated just below the knee in 2013, about three years after it was crushed by agricultural equipment in a work accident.

Sport classes PTS2 to 5 are for athletes with limitations in lower or upper limbs who don’t need a handcycle for the cycling segment or a racing chair for the running segment. Prosthetic legs and bike modifications are allowed.

Earlier, Jules Ribstein won gold for France in the men’s PTS2. As the crowd roared, Ribstein flexed his biceps and slammed his chest as he crossed the finish line. Overcome with emotion, he broke down in tears in a post-race interview with French TV.

Ribstein finished ahead of Americans Mohamed Lahna and Mark Barr, who were second and third, respectively.

Hailey Danz of the United States won the women’s PTS2 triathlon, compatriot Grace Norman took gold in the women’s PTS5, and Chris Hammer claimed another triathlon victory for the U.S. in the men’s PTS5.

Triathlon events, which had already been rescheduled, were postponed from Sunday because of concerns about the water in the Seine River after rainstorms. Heavy rains cause wastewater and runoff to flow into the river, leading to a rise in bacteria levels.

Matt Stutzman, an American archer born without arms who has become one of the Games’ best-known Paralympians, claimed another gold on Sunday evening in his fourth and final Paralympics.

The 41-year-old Stutzman made his big shots count to win the men’s individual compound open event and break a Paralympic record.

Stutzman scored 149 out of a maximum 150 points against China’s Ai Xinliang, the bronze medalist from Tokyo 2020, in the 5-end final.

Stutzman had already come through two shoot-offs, against Finland’s Jere Forsberg in the round of 16, then defending champion He Zihao of China in the semifinals.

“I knew going into this it was going to be my last Games, so there’s a lot of emotion, and I didn’t expect this medal, to be honest,” said Stutzman, who hadn’t won a medal since silver on his debut in London in 2012.

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Associated Press Writer Tom Nouvian contributed to this report, as did Jack Rachinsky, a student in the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State.

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AP Paralympics https://apnews.com/hub/paralympic-games