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Elouan Gardon (Acme, Washington) powered to bronze for Workforce USA for the primary U.S. biking medal within the Paris 2024 Paralympic Video games.
Competing within the males’s 4000-meter C5 particular person pursuit, the 18-year-old narrowly missed gold medal competition, however secured a spot within the bronze medal remaining.
He roared to bronze six seconds forward of Austria’s Franz-Josef Lasser.
“It feels fairly surreal,” Gardon mentioned in a Workforce USA launch. “I’m so extremely pleased, and pleased to get the primary medal for Para-cycling within the Paralympic Video games. I can’t wait to proceed.
“I’ve by no means had a crowd like this earlier than,” Gardon mentioned. “The sensation is completely thrilling.”
The youngest member of @usparacycling takes house BRONZE in his Paralympic debut!
Unbelievable efficiency from Elouan Gardon! #ParisParalympics pic.twitter.com/dJDaCeBMOI
— Workforce USA (@TeamUSA) August 31, 2024
Veteran teammate Bryan Larsen (Windsor, California) noticed Gardon’s expertise as a highway rider and inspired him to pursue para-cycling.
After receiving an invite to a expertise identification camp in June, it grew to become evident that Gardon possessed untapped potential, officers mentioned.
Larsen additionally took to the observe, competing within the males’s 4000m C4 particular person pursuit race reverse Workforce France, the place the rowdy house crowds didn’t rattle Larsen.
“It was virtually numbing to a sure diploma, it was virtually higher,” Larsen mentioned. “As a result of it was so loud, it virtually drowned my very own ideas, which typically destructive ideas can creep in. I used to be actually, actually pleased to have the ability to subconsciously persist with my habits.”
Larsen beat his personal nationwide document by almost a full second, a time he had beforehand set in March on the 2024 UCI Para-Biking World Championships, however that was not sufficient to achieve the medal spherical.
