PARIS, France — In his first appearance on the Paralympics world stage, a Washington man is bringing home a medal.
Elouan Gardon, 18, won bronze in the men’s 4000-meter C5 individual pursuit track race on Saturday. The Aug. 31 race was Gardon’s first time competing in the track category of cycling. C5 is the classification for Paralympic athletes who have some limb movement impairment.
Gardon, who is from Acme, Washington, finished with a time of 4:18.880. Dorian Foulon of France set a world record and earned gold with a time of 4:13.934.
“It feels pretty surreal,” Gardon told Team USA. “I am so incredibly happy, and happy to get the first medal for Para-Cycling in the Paralympic Games. I can’t wait to continue.”
Para-cycling track events are held at the Velodrome of Saint Quentin-en-Yvelines.
Gardon will compete in two more races at the Paralympics: the men’s individual time trial C5 on Wednesday, Sept. 4, and the men’s road race C4-5 on Friday, Sept. 6.
