Canadian runner Nate Rich, who already holds the world record of 1,500 meters in his class, lowered his own footprint during a competition in Victoria, British Columbia.
The blades traveled the distance in 3:52: 56/1000, a four-second improvement, from the previous record set in 2019.
I’m really excited. I had a lot of fun, said that guy who shouted a fist in the air at the finish line. Maybe my reaction was a little overrated. But I was very happy! I’ve been trying to get below the 3:55 mark for several years.
Riche is still making his Paralympic debut after participating in his first international competition in 2018. He also broke the world record in the 800-meter race in his class, the T38.
This category includes athletes with a form of hypertonia, ataxia or ataxia, which affects their coordination and balance.
In Paralympic sports, the classification of athletes is indicated by a letter and a number. T stands for a path (For races and jumps), and F for field (Throws). For track sports, the categories are divided as follows:
- T11-13: Visual problems
- T20 : Cultural deficiency
- T35-T38: Impaired coordination (hypertonia, ataxia, ataxia)
- T40-41: Small stature
- T42-44: Lower limbs function without a prosthesis affected by weak limbs, uneven legs, reduced muscle tone, or decreased maximum negative amplitude
- T45-47: The upper extremities are affected by weakness of the limbs, a decrease in muscle tone or a decrease in the negative maximum amplitude
- T61-64: Lower limbs with prostheses are affected by weak limbs and uneven legs
On the way to Tokyo
New star on the Canadian team, Rich will make his debut at the Paralympics Games in Tokyo in August.
The player lost some of his ability to move on his right side after being hit by a golf ball at the age of 10. In the United States, he faced unobstructed opponents on the NCAA College Tour.
Dual citizens, American and Canadian, will focus on the 1,500 meters in the Tokyo Olympics. Then he will want to add 400 meters to his training for the 2024 Paralympics.