Paralympian marathoner Elena Congost of Spain was left “devastated” by her disqualification in an event wherein she would have bagged third place.
Congost was disqualified in a Paralympics 2024 marathon for briefly releasing her hold on the rope attaching her to guide Mia Carol Bruguera, who suffered a cramp towards the finish line. She had let go to catch ahold of Bruguera.
The 36-year-old athlete has a genetic degenerative eye disease, which has impaired her vision. The T12 event for runners with similar disabilities requires competitors to be tethered to their guides for the whole duration of the race.
Due to Congost’s disqualification, the third-place medal was accorded to Misato Michishita of Japan.
Learning of her disqualification brought Congost to tears, and told Spanish outlet Marca that she was “devastated.”
She said she had earned the medal, and it was a human “reflex” to hold on to a person falling next to you. She didn’t understand why she had been denied the medal for letting go of the rope for an instant.
Congost expressed pride for everything she had done to prepare for the Paralympics, saying her disqualification wasn’t on the grounds of cheating or sabotage.
“I am left with nothing. I can't find any explanation for it and it seems unfair and so surreal, really,” she said.
Morocco’s Fatima El Idrissi finished first and set a world record with her win. Also from Morocco, Meryem El-Nourhi placed second.
