Wednesday, September 1 began with a bang at the Tokyo Paralympic Games for the French delegation.

After winning bronze in the time trial the day before, cyclist Florian Jouanny won gold in the road race at the controls of his handcycle (category H2).

This Paralympic coronation, the first for the 29-year-old Isérois who played his first Games in Japan, is a "dream come true".

"I learned in passing the line that it was the first (gold medal, editor's note) for the French handbike, I did not believe it," responded Florian Jouanny, who writes a page of French para cycling.

He quickly took the lead on the course arriving at Fuji Speedway and relegated his first pursuer, the Italian Luca Mazzone, in silver the day before, to more than four minutes by completing the 53 km race at 28.9 km. / h average.

"I saw that I had made a little hole and I said to myself 'I'm going for it, I'm doing fifty kilometers alone, against the clock," "he described.

🇫🇷🚨 PARALYMPIC CHAMPION !!



After the bronze yesterday, Florian Jouanny won gold in a race from start to finish 💪🥇 # AllezLesBleus # Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/SUvXGXKJUh

- France Team (@EquipeFRA) September 1, 2021

Quadriplegic following a skiing accident ten years ago, Florian Jouanny retains partial mobility of his arms which allows him to compete in handbikes.

Para cycling at the party

This is the fourth gold medal for French para cycling in Tokyo, after those of Alexandre Léauté and Dorian Foulon on the Izu velodrome track last week, then the title of the tandem Alexandre Lloveras - Corentin Ermenault on Tuesday against the clock on the road.

Just after Florian Jouanny, Loïc Vergnaud came very close to winning a fifth, also in handbike (H5). The day after his silver medal in the time trial, Loïc Vergnaud, after having distorted the company to his last two Dutch breakaway companions, was passed on the line by Mitch Valize, one of them. , already world champion in June ahead of him. For his first Games at 41, already furnished with two silver medals, the Roannais can collect another in relay on Friday with Florian Jouanny and Riadh Tarsim.

🚨🇫🇷 VICE PARALYMPIC CHAMPION!



Attacking in the last bump, Loic Vergnaud could not contain the return of the Dutchman Valize.


Like yesterday, Loic Vergnaud won the silver medal 🤩 # AllezLesBleus |

# Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/jya1NFhTY8

- France Team (@EquipeFRA) September 1, 2021

The day started with a bronze medal in table tennis.

Nicolas Savant-Aira, Florian Merrien and Maxime Thomas finished third in team table tennis (category 4-5).

The duo of table tennis players Thomas Bouvais and Clément Berthier also won bronze in the team tournament (class 8).

Nicolas Savant-Aira, Florian Merrien and Maxime Thomas take bronze in #TennisDeTable by teams, category 4-5.

Thanks to its new awards, the French delegation now has 37 medals, including seven in gold.

She has already exceeded her goal of 35 podiums set before the Games.

With AFP

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