Paris 2024 Paralympic Games: Alex Portal wins bronze in para swimming in the 100m backstroke, his second medal

Alex Portal a décroché sa deuxième médaille. MAXPPP – Andrew Matthews

Le Français Alex Portal a décroché vendredi la médaille de bronze sur 100 m dos (catégorie S13), sa deuxième récompense aux Jeux paralympiques de Paris, terminant à nouveau derrière son principal rival, le Bélarusse Ihar Boki qui s'octroie un 18e titre paralympique.

In a highly charged atmosphere, the 22-year-old French para-swimmer completed the distance in 59.08 seconds, finishing behind Boki (56.60), world record holder, and Russian Vladimir Sotnikov (57.95). Both athletes are participating under the neutral banner.

This is the second French para-swimming award of the day, after the silver medal won by Hector Denayer in the 100m breaststroke (SB9 category). And the fourth in this discipline since the start of the Paralympic Games.

A second medal in Paris

On Thursday, Alex Portal had already won silver in the 100m butterfly (cat. S13), losing to the big favourite Ihar Boki.

The swimmer from Saint-Germain-en Laye, near Paris, is one of the great French hopes in the discipline during these Games. He was a triple world champion last year, in the 100 and 400m freestyle and then in the 200m medley.

Visually impaired from birth, he competes in the S13 category, reserved for people with the least severe visual impairment.

Alex Portal has ocular albinism, a genetic disease, which also affects his brother Kylian, 17, also a swimmer and who will also take part in the Games.

The two brothers will compete on Saturday for the 400m freestyle. They will also face… Ihar Boki.