Mohammed Othman from the UAE secured fifth place in the 100m wheelchair race (T34) final at the Paris Paralympic Games on Monday. Mohammed clocked a time of 15.40 seconds, with Thailand's Chaiwat Rattana winning the race in a new Paralympic record of 14.76 seconds. Tunisia's Walid Katila earned the silver medal with a time of 15.14 seconds, while Canada's Austin Smeenk took bronze with 15.19 seconds.
In another significant event, Italian sprinter Valentina Petrillo made history as the first openly transgender athlete to compete in the Paralympics. Petrillo, 50, finished second in her T12 400 metres heat for visually impaired athletes, advancing to the semifinals. Suffering from Stargardt disease, a genetic retinal condition causing progressive vision loss, Petrillo competed without a guide runner, unlike her counterparts at the Stade de France.
The delayed triathlon events commenced after concerns about the Seine's water quality subsided. Dutch athlete Jetze Plat claimed his third consecutive Paralympic title, winning the first of the 11 triathlon events. Initially scheduled over two days, the triathlon was postponed due to bacterial concerns in the Seine, where the swimming segment takes place. Heavy rain further delayed the event, but Plat expressed relief and pride after securing his third title.
China continued its dominance in the medal tally, reaching 38 gold medals by the sixth day. The nation has topped the Paralympic medals table since 2004. A well-funded British team was in hot pursuit with 25 golds, while the USA had 11.
