Paralympic Games: two French medals, a disappointment in wheelchair rugby and an armless table tennis player ... What to remember from Wednesday

After the traditional opening ceremony, the 2021 edition of the Paralympic Games is launched and it will last until September 5.

Serious things started this Wednesday night, with the armchair fencing saber and table tennis events.

It was also the first meeting in wheelchair rugby, which opposed France and Japan.

The first French medals fell today, thanks to the performances of swimmer Ugo Didier and track cyclist Marie Patouillet.

Cycling in bronze, swimming in silver

The counter of the France team was unlocked very quickly.

Cyclist Marie Patouillet had the honor of dressing the medal table first on Wednesday, winning bronze on the track in the individual pursuit.

The athlete, victim of a malformation of the foot and ankle, competed for the first time in the Olympic competition in category C5.

🇫🇷😍🥉 Marie Patouillet in bronze!

She dominates Nicole Murray in the small final of the C5 pursuit and brings the first medal to the French delegation #Paralympics

Follow the para cycling events live ▶ https://t.co/4g3LbajCmX pic.twitter.com/zQkAb1vXhD

- francetvsport (@francetvsport) August 25, 2021

The second medal comes from swimming pools.

Swimmer Ugo Didier brought back silver in the 400-meter freestyle final (S9) this morning with a France record in his category at 4′11′'33.

In the 100-meter butterfly, the other young favorite, Alex Portal (S13), narrowly missed the podium, arriving in 4th place in the event in 57′'13.

Picture of the day

Egyptian table tennis player Ibrahim Hamadtou in the individual Paralympic table tennis event.

REUTERS / Ivan Alvarado IVAN ALVARADO

Egyptian Ibrahim Hamadtou has no more arms but it is not a problem to play table tennis.

At 48, the athlete places his racquet in his mouth and serves with his left foot.

This morning, he played his first match in Tokyo against South Korean Hong-Kyu Park which ended in a defeat (11-6, 11-4, 11-9).

On the French side for the discipline, it is a success in particular for Mateo Boheas (class 10) and Maxime Thomas (class 4) who both won their first group match.

Read also "Watching the Paralympic Games in Rio on TV, I never imagined going to Tokyo": Yohan Peter aims for gold in wheelchair fencing

The rest of the day was, it must be admitted, disappointing in particular for the team sport of this Wednesday, wheelchair rugby, which was to be followed from the beginning of the afternoon.

The French Paralympic team faced the host country, Japan.

It was a challenge for the Blues, who unfortunately never won medals, and who met for their very first match, against the reigning world champions.

The Japanese managed to regain the upper hand on the match which ended in failure for the French (53-51).

The moments to follow for the day of Thursday

Track cycling, always, with the time trial of the French duo composed of Kevin Le Cunff and Dorian Foulon.

The latter was gold medalist at the last World Cup in 2020. Tomorrow will also be the second chance for wheelchair rugby players to try, this time, to emerge victorious from their second match.

They will meet the Australian team at 10:30 am.

At the same time, there will be hope on the weightlifting side.

Alex Bourlon, current number 5 in his Paralympic category and the only French representative, will compete in the -54kg bench press.

The full program (and the French engaged) for Thursday, August 26:

TABLE TENNIS PARA

Individual men, class 4 with Maxime Thomas (class 4) at 2 a.m., Nicolas Aira Savant (class 5) at 2:40 a.m., Fabien Laminrault (class 2) at 3:20 a.m., Thomas Bouvais (class 8) at 4 a.m., Stephane Molliens (class 2) ) at 4 a.m., Lucas Creange at 6 a.m. (class 11) at 6:40 a.m., Mateo Boheas (class 10) at 6:40 a.m., Gilles de la Bourdonnaye (class 10) at 9 a.m., Clément Berthier (class 8) at 1 p.m.

Individual women with Isabelle Lafaye (class 1-2) at 4:40 a.m., Léa Ferney (class 11) at 6 a.m., Anne Barneoud (class 7) at 9.40 a.m.

PARA CYCLING

Individual pursuit over 3000 meters men (C2) qualification with Alexandre Leaute at 4:22 am.

Men's C4-5 1500m time trial with Dorian Foulon and Kevin Le Cunff at 7 o'clock.

PARA HORSE RIDING

Dressage Individual Grand Prix grade II with Céline Gerny at 9 o'clock.

Dressage Individual Grand Prix grade IV with Vladimir Vinchon at 10.51am.

ARMCHAIR FENCING

Epee individual men, preliminary pool 1, Romain Noble (category A) and Yohan Peter (category B) at 2 hours.

WEIGHTLESS

Bench press -54kg with Alex Bourlon at 10:30 am.

PARA SWIMMING

100m freestyle Men S4, qualifying with David Smetanine (S4) at 2h17.

RUGBY-ARMCHAIR

Mixed, group stage, group A, France - Australia at 10:30 am.