Kate O’Brien has won Canada’s first medal at the Paralympic Games in Paris with a bronze in track cycling.
The 36-year-old from Calgary finished third in the women’s C4-5 500-metre time trial at the velodrome behind gold medallist Caroline Groot of the Netherlands and silver medallist Marie Patouillet of France.
O’Brien won a silver medal in her Paralympic debut in Tokyo three years ago.
WATCH l O’Brien pedals to Paralympic bronze:
She raced for Canada at the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016.
After crashing in 2017 and suffering multiple injuries, including a brain injury, O’Brien switched to Para cycling.
She has also won a pair of silver medals at the world Para cycling championship in the time trial.
O’Brien reached Thursday’s final after posting the fourth-fastest qualifying time. Fellow Canadian Keely Shaw of Midale, Sask., failed to qualify for the final after placing 10th.
Groot broke her own C5 world record in qualifying, clocking 35.390 seconds to lower her pervious mark from the Tokyo Games.
Source Agencies