- Enjoying Schulz and Kappel's Show in Paris Devoid of Gold
Triathlete Martin Schulz and thrower Niko Kappel ended their Paralympic stint in Paris without the coveted golden trophy. Schulz, serving as Germany's flag bearer and being the top contender, settled for bronze this time, following his victories in 2016 and 2021 with the golden medals. Kappel, with a throw of 13.74 meters, placed second behind Uzbekistan's Bobirjon Omonov, who recorded a throw of 14.32 meters, securing silver for himself. Previously this season, Kappel had set a world record with a 15.07-meter throw.
Schulz found himself trailing behind American Chris Hammer and Brazilian Ronan Cordeiro during the final 5km run after finishing the swimming and cycling phases.
Prior to this, triathlete Max Gelhaar clinched silver, while Thomas Wandschneider bagged bronze. Gelhaar, a 26-year-old athlete with half-sided spastic paralysis, finished second to Spain's Daniel Molina, clocking in at 1:08:43 hours. Additionally, Anja Renner managed to secure bronze in the women's race. The competition was delayed by a day due to subpar water quality in the Seine.
For the first time, a Paralympic medal was secured by a German badminton player.
The 60-year-old Wandschneider finally achieved his dream of securing a medal with a 2-0 victory against South Korea's Jaegun Jeong. The first game was a close one (26:24), but the second game was more one-sided, with a score of 21:11.
As the national coach, Christopher Skrzeba, stated, "With a tailwind in the second game, it was almost certain. We know Thomas, he always puts up a good fight." This victory marked the first Paralympic medal for a German athlete in badminton.
Schulz's determination to bring home another gold medal for Germany in triathlon was evident, even as he settled for bronze this time.
Despite the setback, Germany continues to excel in Paralympic sports, with a German badminton player securing their first medal in the discipline.
