JP PARIS 2024: LAURENT CHARDARD TAKES BRONZE!

In his second Paralympic Games, the 29-year-old French swimmer won his very first medal on Tuesday: bronze in the color of gold!

Reigning world champion in the 50 m butterfly (category S6), Laurent Chardard won the bronze medal on Wednesday September 3 in the Paris La Défense Arena pool.

The French para-swimmer, who amputated his right leg and right arm after a shark attack in 2016, is taking part in only his second Paralympic Games, at the age of 29. He takes his revenge on Tokyo, which saw him return from the competition empty-handed, and enables France to win its 37th medal in the competitionat the Paris Paralympic Games!

Laurent Chardard was no match for China’s Jingang Wang and Colombia’s Nelson Crispin Corzo, who outclassed him in the final.

But the paranageur showed no disappointment after the race. “I’m really happy to have come third, because in Tokyo I wasn’t even on the podium. […] I’ve come a long way, but I’m not alone, and even if I were world champion, third place is good enough for me. he confided after his race.

A few days later, Laurent earned himself a second Paralympic medal, taking third place in the 100 m freestyle (S6) final. With a time of 1’05”28, Laurent was beaten by Italian favorite Antonio Fantin, the Paralympic record holder, and Brazilian Henrique Talisson Glock.

Laurent has been training at the CREPS in Bordeaux since 2020.