Paris 2024 Paralympics: Indonesian Para-Athlete Karisma Evi Tiarani Wins Silver Medal, Breaks World Record

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian para-athlete Karisma Evi Tiarani won a silver medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. Competing in the women's 100 meters T42/63 classification, she broke the T42 classification world record in one day at the championships on Sunday, September 8, 2024.

The final match at the Stade de France was filled with drama. Karisma Evi as the world's fastest runner in the T42 classification must compete with the Italian trio who dominate in the T63 classification.

Karisma Evi is actually not favored to win a medal. The Italian trio: Ambra Sabatini, Monica Graziana Contrafatto, and Martina Caironi, are always mighty when there is a merger of the T42 and T63 classifications. The three almost bought all the medals, such as at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics before the Ambra Sabatini incident.

Ambra Sabatini as the fastest 100-meter T63 record holder suddenly fell towards the finish. Sabatini's body then hit Monica until she fell. Karisma Evi, who had been closely guarding Martina Caironi from the start, finished second with a time of 14.26 seconds.

Indonesian para-athletic athlete Karisma Evi Tiarani (second from right, wears black tracksuit) is seen competing with the the Italian trio (Monica Graziana Contrafatto, Ambra Sabatini, and Martina Caironi) during the women's 100m T42/63 Paralympic Games at the Stade de France, France, September 7, 2024. Karisma Evi Tiarani won a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympics and broke the world record for the T42 classification in one day at the championship. (REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq)

This record is a new world record for the T42 women's 100 meters after Karisma Evi also broke the world record with a time of 14.34 seconds in the qualifying round. Martina Caironi finished ahead of her with a time of 14.16 seconds, earning the gold medal and Karisma Evi the silver medal.

As for the bronze medal, the committee decided to accept a protest from the Italian camp. Monica Graziana was declared entitled to a bronze medal despite finishing in a fall because she was hit by Sabatini's body.

Karisma Evi's Comment

Karisma Evi did not expect to get a silver medal even though the T42 classification had to be combined with the T63 classification.

“This is amazing. I didn't imagine this would happen because they (the Italian trio) always perform great. I think they are very fast after 60 meters. This is really amazing,” said Karisma Evi, quoted from the official statement of the Indonesian Paralympic Committee (NPC).

She only realized that runners who use artificial legs look difficult at the moment of the start. Hence, in this final party, Karisma Evi did her best to leave them in the first 50 meters.

“For those who use real legs, it must be maximized at the initial start. As much as possible must leave at the beginning. That way they can't catch up at the end,” she said.

Although close together, Karisma Evi did not know the cause of the Sabatini incident. She was only focused on catching Martina Caironi who was running very fast in front of her. “I only saw her fall before the finish line and I was only concentrating on the finish line,” she said.

ANTARA

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