A On the first day of Para powerlifting at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, French competitors Alex Adelaïde and Axel Bourlon faced disappointing results. Adelaïde finished in sixth place, while Bourlon, who was unable to secure a ranking after three failed attempts, did not advance.
A Axel Bourlon, a silver medalist from the Tokyo 2021 Paralympics, had high hopes for a medal and was greeted as a hero at Arena Porte de La Chapelle. The vibrant blue, white, and red tifo, along with the enthusiastic crowd, contrasted sharply with Bourlon’s focused demeanor as he prepared for his lifts. Before his first attempt, he took a moment of silence to center himself, and the cheering crowd fell into a respectful quiet.
A Unfortunately, Bourlon's initial attempt at 163 kilograms was deemed invalid by two of the three judges. The decision was upheld upon video review, compelling him to improve his performance on his subsequent lifts. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan’s David Degtyarev set the pace by successfully lifting 184 kilograms, while Vietnam’s An Nguyen withdrew after failing at 168 kilograms.
Determined to turn his fortunes around, Bourlon opted to increase the weight for his second attempt to 169 kilograms. “I was surprised by the judges’ decision on the first lift; I felt comfortable with the weight, so I decided to go higher,” he explained. However, his second attempt was marred by a lack of control, leading to another rejection from all three judges. His third attempt at the same weight also failed, leaving him without a ranking.
“It’s a huge disappointment because I came here for a medal—ideally, the best one possible. I’m leaving these Games empty-handed,” Bourlon admitted.
In the end, Kazakhstan’s David Degtyarev won gold with a lift of 188 kilograms, followed by Cuba’s Pablo Ramirez Barrientos with 185 kilograms, and China’s Jinglang Yang with 179 kilograms.
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