PARIS, September 5. /TASS/. Russian swimmer Maria Pavlova won the gold on Thursday at the 2024 Paris Summer Paralympic Games in women’s 100-meter breaststroke competition setting a new Paralympics record.

Pavlova clocked the distance in 1 minute 26.09 seconds and she overpowered her previous world record of 1 minute 26.86 seconds as of June 8, 2024. Iona Winnifrith from the Great Britain took the silver (1 minute 29.69 seconds) and Canada’s Tess Routliffe swam to take the bronze (1 minute 31.58 seconds).

The women’s 100-meter breaststroke competition was held in line with SB7 code rules, described as for "breaststroke swimmers with movement affected from a low to moderate level in the arms, trunk and legs, moderately down one side, those with short stature, or the absence of limbs… All these swimmers have work harder at stroke timing or getting hold of the water."

Russia’s 25-year-old Pavlova is now the two-time Paralympic champion as she previously won the gold at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics in the 100-meter breaststroke event.

The 2024 Summer Paralympic Games run in the French capital of Paris between August 28 and September 8. Russian Paralympians are participating in the 2024 Games under a neutral status.

The 2024 Summer Paralympic Games run in the French capital of Paris between August 28 and September 8. Russian Paralympians are participating in the 2024 Games under a neutral status

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) cleared 88 Paralympians from Russia to take part in the 2024 Paris Summer Paralympic Games. They were barred from taking part in the Parade of Athletes during the opening and closing ceremonies and also excluded from the 2024 Paralympics overall medal standings.

Russia's route to 2024 Paris Paralympics

On March 6, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) published strict eligibility criteria that Russian and Belarusian athletes and support personnel must meet and adhere to in order to participate as neutrals at the 2024 Summer Paralympic Games in Paris.

According to the IPC’s requirements "Neutral athletes will compete under a white flag featuring black lettering spelling out NPA [Neutral Paralympic Athletes]." The IPC also ruled that "NPA will compete as individuals in neutral uniforms under an NPA flag, and will not be able to take part in medals ceremonies or march in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies."

On September 29, 2023, the IPC General Assembly ruled at its session in Bahrain to suspend some of the rights the RPC has within the global organization.

However, the IPC General Assembly cleared Russian athletes to participate under a neutral status in international competition, including at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.