Cyclist Marie Patouillet opened the French team’s counter at the Tokyo Paralympic Games on Wednesday, from the first day of competition, by winning the bronze medal on the track in the individual pursuit (category C5). “I don’t really realize. For my first Games, the first event and the first medal, ”reacted the 33-year-old female racer, more of a sprint specialist.
She is also trained by Grégory Baugé, quadruple world champion in individual speed and silver medalist in the same event at the London Olympic Games in 2012. General practitioner, the paracyclist, born with a defect in one foot, has de great medal chances again on Friday in the 500 meters standing start, her specialty of which she is vice-world champion (2020) and bronze medalist (2019).
🇫🇷😍🥉 Marie Patouillet in bronze!
She dominates Nicole Murray in the small final of the C5 pursuit and brings the first medal to the French delegation #Paralympics
Follow the para cycling events live ▶ https://t.co/4g3LbajCmX pic.twitter.com/zQkAb1vXhD
– francetvsport (@francetvsport) August 25, 2021
Arrived late in cycling, Marie Patouillet had a revelation by running the stage of the Tour cyclotouriste in 2017. Better, while it had planned to pursue the Paris Games in 2024, the postponement of one year of those in Tokyo finally convinced him to register this year. Well, apparently.