Austin Smeenk Advances to 100m T34 Finals at Paralympics

Austin Smeenk, a Canadian athlete, has successfully qualified for the finals of the 100 m T34 event, finishing first in his heat on Sunday in Paris.

Smeenk recorded a time of 15.38 seconds on the athletics track at the Stade de France, outpacing his nearest competitor by 24 hundredths of a second. This performance marks a significant achievement for the athlete.

The Australian Reed McCraken managed to clock his season’s best time of 15.62 seconds, while Finnish athlete Henry Manni secured the third position with a time of 15.74 seconds.

Previously, Smeenk placed seventh at the Tokyo 2021 Paralympics and sixth at the 2016 Rio Paralympics. He clinched a silver medal in this event at the 2023 World Championships.

At 27 years old, the Ontarian holds the world records for the 400 m and 800 m T34, which he set in June at a Grand Prix in Paris.

In the second heat, Thai competitor Chaiwat achieved a new Paralympic record with a time of 14.81 seconds, which stands as the best time of the qualifications. Tunisian Kalid Ktila and Qatari Ali Radi Arshid also secured their places in the final with times of 15.09 seconds and 15.20 seconds, respectively.

Mohamad Othman from the UAE and China’s Gong Wenhao claimed the last two available spots in the final alongside Smeenk.

Austin Smeenk is scheduled to compete in the 800 m T34 event starting next Friday.