disqualified and having their medal taken away
Jaryd Clifford, an Australian athlete, was devastated to lose his bronze medal in the Paralympic Games.
The 25-year-old athlete finished the 5000 meters in third place before being shockingly disqualified.
Shortly after crossing the queue, the blind Clifford and his guide applauded, but soon after, officials intervened due to a rule violation.
Just before crossing the finish line in the men’s T13 final, the Australian had released the tether that bound him to his guide.
Runners with vision impairments have to hang onto the tether until they have completed the full race.
Clifford was the only competitor in the field to require a guide, and when he found out he had lost his bronze medal and been disqualified, he was clearly upset.
Clifford recalled, “I went and met my parents and my girlfriend and broke down.”
“On the side of the railroad, I shed a small tear. If you consider responding to outcomes as mourning, I experienced my share of grieving.
“I felt a little bit numb out on the track, and I still am a little bit numb. To be honest, we went in with the intention of winning gold, so I am quite crushed.
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