Noah Malone has emerged as a rising star in Paralympic track and field, showcasing his exceptional speed and setting the stage for his success. With the Paralympics taking over Paris, the competition is tight, and he managed to make it to the finals and initially bagged second place. However, a twist of events led to a favorable outcome, and Malone got an upgrade.
Malone, who was born with Leber’s Heredity Optic Neuropathy, faces challenges with vision impairment. Yet, he defied the odds to participate in track and field events, eventually debuting at the Tokyo Olympics and winning a gold and a silver back then.
The US Paralympics Track and Field Committee recently issued a press release announcing that Malone had, in fact, won the gold medal in the Men’s 100m T12 category. This news came after Turkish athlete Serkan Yildrim was disqualified.
The World Para Athletics decided on Yildrim’s participation after discovering that he was ineligible to participate in the T12 category. Subsequently, the WPA also announced that the sprinters who trailed the Turkish athlete in the race would move up a position, resulting in a shift on the podium.
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Malone won the gold, while Brazil’s Joeferson Marinho and the UK’s Zac Shaw upgraded to silver and bronze, respectively. The decision was announced with celebrations and congratulatory messages for all the athletes.
Shaw also chimed in to give Malone his well-deserved flowers for the feat. A post by the US Paralympics Track and Field’s official page witnessed a heartwarming note by the Brit.
“The Gold which he deserves. Congrats brother. Let’s hope you get to hear your anthem in the stadium like you deserve!“
Sherrice Fox, the director of the US Paralympics Track & Field, highlighted how the icon persevered towards the podium and kept his composure throughout the race.
“He has displayed the utmost sportsmanship, and while our team was excited to celebrate him after his silver medal, we are so thrilled that he is getting the gold that he deserves, and can’t wait to honor him as a Paralympic champion.“
Since the shift in medals and podiums occurred after the race, Malone will get to hear the Star-Spangled Banner out loud in the forthcoming days. The committee announced that he would receive the gold medal in the presence of an audience and a full-blown ceremony at the Stáde de France.
