Paralympic Team’s First Gold Medal Secured in 400m Freestyle

Zsófia Konkoly won the gold medal in the 400m freestyle, S9 category at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on Thursday. This is the first podium finish for the Hungarian delegation in the French capital.

The 22-year-old from Pécs, whose right arm has not developed properly, won the preliminary heat in the morning and qualified for the evening final with the second best time, in which she competed excellently and beat defending champion Lakeisha Patterson.

In the nearly sold-out Paris La Défense Arena, Konkoly made a great effort, turning in fourth place after 100 meters and then catching up with Patterson, who was in the lead.

At the three-quarter mark, the Australian was still leading by a length, but then the Hungarian swimmer caught up and overtook her rival and finally won in style.

Patterson had to settle for silver this time.

“I usually do better in the second half of the distance, thus I tried to go with the others and not let the Australian girl go too much so I could get back on her. That was my tactic”, Zsófia Konkoly, now two-time Paralympic champion, emphasized after the results were announced. “Of course, I did not just focus on Patterson, I was convinced that whoever made it to the final was already a favorite.”

“It is an amazing feeling to have a gold medal around my neck,” she noted, adding that her family were in the stands – her dad was not, he was watching on TV – and it was a special feeling to see them at the medal ceremony.

Defending 100m butterfly champion Zsófia Konkoly, who is competing in her third Paralympic Games, will also compete in the 100 backstroke, 100 butterfly and 200 medley in Paris.

Yesterday’s other Hungarian finalist, Zsanett Adámi-Rózsa, finished seventh in the 100m backstroke in the S2 category.

Via MTI; Featured image via MTI/Koszticsák Szilárd