Para cyclist Kate O’Brien wins Canada’s first medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games

PARIS – Para cyclist Kate O’Brien of Calgary won Canada’s first medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games on Thursday afternoon with a bronze in the women’s 500m sprint.

It was O’Brien’s second career medal at the Games. She took silver in the same event at Tokyo 2020. She was a member of the 2016 Olympic cycling team in Rio before her accident.

‘’It’s very surreal,’’ said O’Brien about being Canada’s first medallist. ‘’I honestly didn’t think this was in the cards, and I’ve never won the first medal of anything. It just means a lot, to have so much support behind it, family and friends I can’t even describe it.’’

Caroline Groot of the Netherland, the six-time reigning world champion, won the gold medal in 35.566 seconds. Marle Patouillet of France, riding the wave of the sold out and home crowd, took the silver in 36.700 and O’Brien clocked 37.370.

Even though she didn’t match her result from three years ago, getting on the podium was a huge accomplishment for O’Brien.

‘’The year leading into these Games was a bit challenging for training’’ she said. ‘’I honestly didn’t even know if I would make the team. So coming here and making the top six from the heats to make the finals and ending with a medal, is a dream.’’

On Thursday, her mother, wife Meaghan and their eight-month-old  son Robin were among those cheering her on.

‘’Having family here has been so amazing,’’ said O’Brien. ‘’Tokyo was a great Games but obviously different and so being able to wave at family in the crowd and go up and see them and have my eight-month-old son touch my helmet before I raced, it was just amazing to share that.’’

Keely Shaw sets personal best for top-10 finish

Keely Shaw of Midale, Sask., ranked 10^th in the event which she traditionally doesn’t race and clocked a personal best 40.431 seconds.

The 30-year-old’s big race on the track is the women’s C4 3000m pursuit set for Friday. She won the bronze medal in the pursuit at the 2020 Games.

‘’With the 500 first, I thought it would be a bit of a dress rehearsal before the pursuit,’’ said Shaw, who has partial paralysis on her left side due at accident at age 15.

 ‘’Today was all about feeling out the track, the environment including the loudness of the crowd so when my big day comes tomorrow (Friday) there’ll be no surprises.’’

The time was important for her.

‘’To beat my personal best by over a second is a big confidence booster,’’ she said. ‘’I’m going to take away a reminder that when I’m having fun,  I go fast on bikes.’’

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