Canada's Nate Riech blasts to gold in men's T38 1,500-metre final
Runner sets Paralympic record of 3:58.92 in his debut Games
Canada's Paralympics are nearly over, but one runner is ensuring the country closes in style.
Nate Riech of Victoria has raced to a gold medal in his Paralympic debut.
The 26-year-old reigning world champion and world record holder ran to a time of three minutes 58.92 seconds in the men's T38 1,500-metre final. The time set a new T38 Paralympic record in the distance.
"I felt like I got too concentrated on winning gold, so my sport psychologist and I came up with just try to make that 10-year-old me who was paralyzed in a hospital bed proud. That was my goal, and I think I did that," Riech said after the race.
WATCH | Nate Riech sets Paralympic record, runs to T38 1,500m gold:
Algeria's Abdelkrim Krai was rewarded for his late push, capturing silver with a time of 4:03.07. Australia's Deon Kenzie rounded out the podium after slipping to third, posting a time of 4:03.76.
Riech's gold raises Canada's medal count to 21 total, including now five gold medals.
Riech, a communications specialist at the University of South Alabama, has had a successful few years, having also previously won races in this distance at the IPC World Championships and the Parapan American Games, both in record times.
Fellow Canadian Liam Stanley, a T37 athlete — competing with a higher degree of impairment in comparison to athletes of T38 classification or higher — also participated in the race and finished fifth with a time of 4:06.95.
Despite missing the podium, the 21-year-old, who also hails from Victoria, set a Paralympic record for the T37 classification in the distance.
WATCH | Nate Riech receives 1,500m gold medal:
With files from Christine Rankin
