Current:Home > NewsAmerican road cyclist Elouan Gardon wins bronze medal in first Paralympic appearance -TrueNorth Capital Hub
American road cyclist Elouan Gardon wins bronze medal in first Paralympic appearance
View
Date:2025-04-17 00:34:48
PARIS — Elouan Gardon raised his fist in triumph to a packed house at the Vélodrome on Saturday afternoon. He had just won bronze in his first-ever Paralympic Games in his cycling event.
Two months ago, Gardon was not even on the team, with no track cycling experience whatsoever.
It was only in June that veteran cyclist Bryan Larsen brought Gardon to the attention of the team’s coach.
"Bryan was the person who sent me an Instagram and said, 'Hey, this guy looks like he’s eligible and he’s a beast,'" Sarah Hammer-Kroening said. "'You should send him a message.'"
Hammer-Kroening sent that message, inviting the Acme, Washington native to a select national track camp in June. Gardon accepted the invite and impressed the coach on his first time around the track.
2024 Paris Olympics: Follow USA TODAY’s coverage of the biggest names and stories of the Games.
Hammer-Kroening said she immediately saw a confident young man with a ruthless streak once he hops onto his bike. Despite only bringing road racing experience, Gardon quickly excelled on the track.
That quick learning curve showed Saturday when Gardon picked up his bronze in the C5 4000-meter individual pursuit para-cycling track event. C5 is a classification for athletes who have a minimal degree of limb impairment.
"It was really incredible, my first time racing on a track (in international competition)," he said. "The feeling is absolutely exciting."
Gardon fell behind by 0.162 seconds to his Austrian opponent Franz-Josef Lasser early in the first 1000m. Gardon came back in the second 1000m and stretched his lead to finish more than 6 seconds ahead with a final time of 4:18.880 to clinch third place.
In the gold medal race, Dorian Foulon of France took gold in 4:16.158 while Yehor Dementyev of Ukraine took silver with a time of 4:17.770.
The rookie 18-year-old track cyclist pointed to Larsen as an important part of his success. In fact, he even used Larsen’s bike in the medal-clinching race.
"He’s been a great mentor," Gardon said. "He actually introduced me to (U.S. track cycling head coach) Sarah Hammer-Kroening for cycling on the para-side and it's truly incredible how much he’s done for me to be here today."
Hammer-Kroenig also said that Larsen has been instrumental in Gardon’s development.
"Any time you have a new rider (Gardon) come into the team, especially someone who is so young, obviously they’re very impressionable and you want them to be around the right people," Hammer-Kroenig said.
For Hammer-Kroenig, Gardon’s future is bright.
"He understands that to surround himself with people who have more knowledge," she said. "That is beyond his years for a lot of young people. If he wants to, he has a huge future ahead."
One of those people is Larsen, who finished sixth in the qualifying round of the C4 4000m with a time of 4:30.690, bringing an end to his Paris 2024 campaign. The cyclist from Windsor, California also finished 13th in the men’s C4-5 1000m time trial and did not advance to the finals earlier Friday.
Larsen said the race was grueling, but he was proud of the finish.
"I wanted a little more (out of today’s race), but hey I’ll take it," he said. "I’ve been racing for 22, 23 years, so this is a culmination of not just three years of para, but 22 years of being on my bike, beating myself up day in and day out since I was 12 years old."
Gardon has two races left in the Games, including men’s C5 individual time trial on Wednesday, Sept. 4 and the men’s C4-5 road race on Friday, Sept. 6.
veryGood! (3972)
Related
- A Mississippi company is sentenced for mislabeling cheap seafood as premium local fish
- Shohei Ohtani agrees to record $700 million, 10-year contract with Dodgers
- ‘Shadows of children:’ For the youngest hostages, life moves forward in whispers
- Vikings offensive coordinator arrested on suspicion of drunken driving
- Brianna LaPaglia Reveals The Meaning Behind Her "Chickenfry" Nickname
- We Ranked All of Meg Ryan's Rom-Coms and We'll Still Have What She's Having
- Ukraine’s Zelenskyy heads to Argentina in bid to win support from developing nations
- Where the Republican presidential candidates stand on Israel and Ukraine funding
- House passes bill to add 66 new federal judgeships, but prospects murky after Biden veto threat
- Baku to the future: After stalemate, UN climate talks will be in Azerbaijan in 2024
Ranking
- Israel lets Palestinians go back to northern Gaza for first time in over a year as cease
- Brenda Lee is much bigger than her 1958 Christmas song that just hit No.1
- Greyhound bus service returns to Mississippi’s capital city
- Packers have big salary-cap and roster decisions this offseason. Here's what we predict
- Selena Gomez engaged to Benny Blanco after 1 year together: 'Forever begins now'
- Where the Republican presidential candidates stand on Israel and Ukraine funding
- Eagles head of security Dom DiSandro banned from sideline for Sunday's game vs. Cowboys
- Rockets fired at U.S. Embassy in Iraq as Mideast violence keeps escalating
Recommendation
Taylor Swift makes surprise visit to Kansas City children’s hospital
4 coffee table art books from 2023 that are a visual feast
'Wait Wait' for December 9, 2023: With Not My Job guest Fred Schneider
'Zombie deer' disease has been reported in more than half the US: What to know about CWD
Federal Spending Freeze Could Have Widespread Impact on Environment, Emergency Management
‘Shadows of children:’ For the youngest hostages, life moves forward in whispers
Is the max Social Security benefit a fantasy for most Americans in 2023?
Tibetans in exile accuse China of destroying their identity in Tibet under its rule