Tigist Gezahagn Menigstu secured Ethiopia’s first medal at the Paris Paralympics on Saturday evening at the Stade de France, winning gold in the women’s 1500m T13 with an impressive time of 4:22.39 and successfully retaining her Tokyo Olympic title.

Moroccan Fatima Ezzahra El Idrissi, who competed fiercely against the defending champion, earned silver with a time of 4:22.98, while Liza Corso of the U.S. claimed bronze with 4:23.45 on day three of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. The top three runners had pulled well ahead of the field as they approached the finish line.

The 24-year-old vision-impaired athlete won her second consecutive gold medal at the Paralympics, securing Ethiopia’s first gold in front of a huge crowd at the Stade de France. In Tokyo three years ago, she made history as the first Ethiopian woman to win a medal at the competition. After finishing first in the final at the 2024 World Championships in Kobe, Japan she entered Paris as the clear favorite.

Unlike the Olympics, Ethiopia is not accustomed to shining at the Paralympic Games, making this victory especially gratifying.