Austin Smeenk crowned T34 800m champion at Paralympic Games

PARIS – As the world record holder, Austin Smeenk had a target on his back and he made sure that’s all his opponents saw on Saturday morning as he won the gold medal in the men’s T34 800-metre wheelchair race at the 2024 Paralympic Games.

At his third Paralympics, it was Smeenk’s first career gold medal and second at these Games. He was third earlier this week in the 100-metre event.

‘’There were about five plans with me finishing at the front of the pack,’’ said Smeenk, from Oakville, Ont., and now training in Victoria. ‘’Plan A was to go to the front and never lose pole position. I was given that opportunity and never gave it up.’’

Smeenk, 27, clocked one minute and 39.27 seconds for the win with Chaiwat Rattana of Thailand second in 1:39.48 and Rheed McCracken of Australia third in 1:40.13.

There was a huge crowd at the Stade de France for the morning session with most of the 80,000 seats occupied. Outside noise doesn’t bother Smeenk.

‘’I’ve been offline, not speaking to many family members because when you compete at the Paralympics it requires full focus,’’ Smeenk said. ‘’The moment the race was done, the crowd was electric.

‘’I know our events have drawn well and I want to thank the Paris fans for making it extra special for us.’’

The young Canadian veteran is having the best season of his career in 2024. In June at a Grand Prix in Paris, Smeenk broke the world record in the T34 400m clocking 48.06 seconds and the 800m with a 1:35.59.

Smeenk is an athlete who has paid his dues to get to the podium at the Paralympic Games. He didn’t win a medal in 2016 and 2020 and earned his first world championship medals last year with silver in the 100 and bronze in the 400.

‘’Anyone that’s won, knows how to lose,’’ said Smeenk, born with spastic paraplegia, a hereditary disease that causes progressive stiffness and contraction in the lower limbs. ‘’It takes a lot of resilience and determination to overcome. It just feels fantastic to be on the other side of that.’’

Smeenk enjoys keeping a journal of his journey in Para sport. He notes not only performances but strategies.

He says there’ll be no special thoughts for September 7, 2024.

‘’Done, check, next,’’ said Smeenk on what he would write. ‘’I’m not going to get too high about this. I will enjoy the celebration and make sure I feel every little bit of satisfaction that’s earned here. But I also want to make sure I stay humble and make sure pride doesn’t get too great.

‘’There’s still a lot more to do and more potholes along the way.’’

Still while the journal entry may be sparse, the memory of his first Paralympic gold will last forever.

‘’I thought about ringing that bell since the first athletics competition opened at the Olympics,’’ he said. ‘’I wanted to see someone with a blade or a wheelchair go over there and ring it.

‘’When I got the opportunity, I was really locked in.’’

With the victory Canada equals its medal count from Tokyo 2020 in Para athletics at eight with five gold and three bronze.

World champion Nate Riech of Victoria is a heavy favourite to reach the men’s T38 1500m podium Saturday night and Noah Vucsics of Calgary is a top contender in the men’s T20 long jump.