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Team Ireland’s Para athletics campaign got underway on Friday morning with Shauna Bocquet making her Paralympic debut in the Women’s 5000m T54 heats at the iconic Stade de France.

Having come into the Games in strong form, the Galway native was undeterred by the crowd and occasion in Paris and produced a fine performance to finish fourth in her heat with a time of 12:44:52 and qualify for the final ninth overall.  

With the wet conditions playing a crucial role in the race strategy, Bocquet went out hard and maintained her place in the leading pack alongside double Paralympic champion Catherine Debrunner from Switzerland and Germany’s Merle Menje. In a fierce finish, the 20-year-old was pipped for third place by Switzerland’s Manuela Schaer. 

She will take to the track again tomorrow (Saturday) for the final at 09:40am (Irish time) much to her delight.  

“I’m really happy with how that race went and how I felt and I’m just delighted to be in the final tomorrow. The plan was to go out hard and then stick with the front pack. With the spray from the rain, I stayed in the front for a good bit to avoid that.”

Bocquet also praised the large Irish support who have travelled over to Paris.  

“I was smiling as I was going around because all I could hear was my name being chanted. My family and friends are over here but there’s just so much Irish support here as well, so many Irish flags around the place, it’s really special.” 

In addition to Saturday’s final, Bocquet will also compete in the T54 100m and 1500m events later in the Games.