French Triathlete Cassandre Beaugrand Claims Gold in Paris

The women’s individual triathlon at the Paris 2024 Olympics was nothing short of thrilling, with France’s own Cassandre Beaugrand making history by winning the gold medal. The event took place on July 31 at the stunning Alexandre III Pontoon right in the heart of Paris.

Beaugrand, who is currently ranked world number one, showed tremendous determination as she made a strong break during the final lap. This victory marked a significant milestone as she became the first French athlete to win an Olympic medal in this event, completing the race in a time of 1:54:55.

After finishing, a visibly exhausted Beaugrand collapsed on the ground, overwhelmed by the moment. “It was the longest 1500m of my life, but I never doubted at the end,” she shared with excitement. “I didn’t realize that I was Olympic champion; I thought someone had to wake me up!”

Switzerland‘s Julie Derron put up a fierce fight and secured the silver medal, finishing just six seconds behind Beaugrand. Meanwhile, Great Britain‘s Beth Potter claimed the bronze medal, nine seconds after Derron’s finish.

<p“It's incredible! It was such a great course, and I'm just so pleased to walk away with (an Olympic) medal,” Derron commented, still trying to process her achievement. “The crowd was insane! Their support really pushed me to give it my all.”

Potter, who had previously competed in the 10,000m event at the Rio 2016 Olympics, also felt proud of her performance. “I’m really happy with the bronze. There was a lot of pressure coming in, but I gave it everything I had,” she said, smiling. “The support from the crowd made such a difference.”

The race unfolded dramatically as Flora Duffy from Bermuda led the swimming leg, exiting the Seine almost 17 seconds ahead of her competitors. But the competition was far from over, as a group of about ten triathletes formed during the biking segment, which proved challenging due to the rain-slicked cobbled streets.

As the athletes raced through the stunning sights of Paris and the cheers from the crowds filled the air, only four remained in contention as they entered the final running portion. The fierce competition saw Duffy slip back to fifth place, while Potter, Lombardi, and Derron battled closely for gold.

When Beaugrand made her decisive move towards the end of the final lap, she was greeted with roaring cheers from the crowd, giving her the extra push she needed to finish strong. Crossing the tape at the iconic Pont Alexandre II bridge, she was celebrated as another French champion of these Games.