August 29/24 15:33 pm - Kate O'Brien Opens Paralympics for Canada with a Bronze Medal

Posted by Editoress on 08/29/24
 

Kate O'Brien brought Canada its first medal of the 2024 Paralympics on Wednesday with a bronze medal in the Women's C4-C5 500 metre time trial. O'Brien won a silver medal in this same event at the Tokyo Games. Keely Shaw, Canada's other entrant in the event, finished tenth overall.

O'Brien, who competes in the C4 category, qualified fourth with a time of 37.493 seconds. Shaw was tenth in 40.431 seconds. The top six riders moved on to the medal final round, Caroline Groot (Netherlands), a C5, qualified first with a world and Olympic record time of 35.390 seconds.

In the final, Groot took the gold medal in 35.566 seconds, followed by Marie Patouillet (France) with 36.700 seconds, and then O'Brien at 36.873 seconds. O'Brien was the first C4 category finisher.

"To be quite honest, I didn't expect this," said O'Brien. "I honestly didn't think a medal was within reach, and I've never won a first medal in anything! It means so much and to receive so much support from my family and friends. I can't even describe it." She added: "Obviously, the times were very, very tight and the year leading up to Paris was challenging for training. And so, honestly, I didn't know if I would make the team and I came in and was able to get into the top six, make the finals and then ending up with a medal, it's an absolute dream."

"Definitely the 500 is not my main event," said Shaw, who is focussed on tomorrow's Individual Pursuit. "But the way it lined up, with the 500 coming first and the pursuit second, we thought it was a really good opportunity to have a little dress rehearsal before my main event. Today was all about feeling out the track, feeling out the environment; it's been so long since we've had a full crowd cheering us on at the velodrome. So, just getting an idea of the crowd, how loud they are going to be so that when my big day comes tomorrow, there won't be any surprises."

"Today was really great as far as getting the pre-race nerves out. It was a really good confidence builder; that was over a one second personal best for me. From this race I'm going to take a reminder that when I'm having fun I go fast on the bike. And to remember that being able to race my bike at the Paralympic Games is a privilege, and it's not every day that we get to show what Canadian cycling has to offer in front of the world, so do my best to represent my country, my province and all those that have put in the work to help me."


Results of Final
1 Caroline Groot (Netherlands) C5, 35.566
2 Marie Patouillet (France)  C5, 36.700
3 Kate O'Brien (Canada) C4, 36.873
4 Xiaohui Li (China) C4, 37.187
5 Nicole Murray (New Zealand) C5, 37.425
DNF Kadeena Cox (Great Britain) C4