Canadian wheelchair racer Austin Smeenk is a Paralympic Games gold medallist.
The 27-year-old from Oakville, Ont., won in the men’s T34 800 metres, clocking a time of one minute 39.27 seconds at Stade de France.
Smeenk collected his second medal after taking bronze in the 100m in Paris.
He set world records in both the 400 (48.06) and 800 (1:35.59) earlier this year.
WATCH l Smeenk races to 800m gold at Paris Paralympics:
27-year-old Austin Smeenk from Oakville, Ont., won in the men’s T34 800-metres in a time of one minute 39.27 seconds at Stade de France.
Smeenk took the lead early and held the field at bay before breaking away on the second lap. He raised his arms in celebration as he crossed the finish line.
“With about 300 metres to go, you just become undeniable,” Smeenk said. “I have some of the best top speeds, so there will not necessarily be a gear change. There is just a bit of a ramp up.
“I did not want to shock the nervous system as much as possible by flooring it, rather just roll into it. I brought the max speed into it for the last third of the race and got the result.”
Smeenk was born with spastic paraplegia, which is a hereditary disease causing progressive stiffness and contraction in the lower limbs.
He captured Canada’s eighth medal and fifth gold in Para track and field in Paris.
Thailand’s Chaiwat Rattana (1:39.48) and Australia’s Rheed McCracken (1:40.13) took silver and bronze.