Kate O’Brien captures track cycling bronze for Canada’s 1st medal of Paris Paralympics
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Kate O’Brien has won Canada’s first medal at the Paralympic Games in Paris with a bronze in track cycling.
The 36-year-old from Calgary finished third in the women’s C4-5 500-metre time trial at the velodrome behind gold medallist Caroline Groot of the Netherlands and silver medallist Marie Patouillet of France.
O’Brien won a silver medal in her Paralympic debut in Tokyo three years ago.
WATCH l O’Brien pedals to Paralympic bronze:
Kate O’Brien earned bronze in the women’s Para Cycling Track C4-5 500-metre time trial final, for Canada’s first medal of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
She raced for Canada at the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016.
After crashing in 2017 and suffering multiple injuries, including a brain injury, O’Brien switched to Para cycling.
She has also won a pair of silver medals at the world Para cycling championship in the time trial.
BRONZE FOR CANADA 🇨🇦 <br><br>Kate O’Brien wins Canada’s first medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. It’s a bronze in the C4-5 500m time trial. <br><br>Made even more special to have her wife Meghan and their son Robin here in Paris to witness it. <a href=”https://t.co/nLF47ePJs6″>pic.twitter.com/nLF47ePJs6</a>
—@Devin_Heroux
O’Brien reached Thursday’s final after posting the fourth-fastest qualifying time. Fellow Canadian Keely Shaw of Midale, Sask., failed to qualify for the final after placing 10th.
Groot broke her own C5 world record in qualifying, clocking 35.390 seconds to lower her previous mark from the Tokyo Games.
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 caused by the likes of cerebral palsy, amputations and other lower limb impairments, while C5 is for cyclists with less severe impairments.
