Australian Paralympic runner Jaryd Clifford has addressed the situation after losing his bronze medal due to a lesser-known rule. Competing in the men’s T13 5,000m final for vision-impaired athletes at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Clifford was moments away from securing third place on Saturday, August 31. However, he was disqualified just before crossing the finish line.
Clifford, 25, completed the race in 16:12:45, initially placing him in third. The disqualification stemmed from an issue with the guide running beside him. Clifford was tethered to guides Matt Clarke and Tim Logan—Logan for the first 2,000m and Clarke for the remaining 3,000m. Footage showed that Clifford was not correctly tethered to Clarke as he approached the finish line.
David Culbert, an Australian Olympic long jumper, explained to Nine News: “You’ve got to hold the tether all the way through to the line, and it’s pretty clear it’s not in the hands of both athletes. It looks like Jaryd let it go just before the line.”
Jaryd Clifford has apparently been disqualified after coming third in the 5000m T13 final.
He reportedly dropped his guide tether just before crossing the line, an instant DQ.
📸 – Channel 9/IOC
Live blog: https://t.co/I8R0lp9Qki pic.twitter.com/n4HLqxISrX
— ABC SPORT (@abcsport) August 31, 2024
Officials from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) determined Clifford had breached the rules, leading to his disqualification and forfeiture of the bronze medal.
Clifford, who previously won two silver medals and a bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, commented on the incident. He said, as quoted by Nine News: “When I have a guide, I can focus on running without worrying about tactics or conserving visual energy. Guiding is not a necessity but a preference; the pros usually outweigh the cons. Today, it turned out to be a con, but these boys are my best mates.”
The Australian athletics team management remarked: “Jaryd had a great preparation after years of injury. He was in good shape, but there are always risks when using guides. Guides are essential for Jaryd to run competitively, but they add a margin for error, which unfortunately was realised today. He still has the 1500m event and will channel his energy and disappointment into that.”
Clifford acknowledged the disqualification was ‘pretty shattering’ but still considered it his ‘fourth Paralympic medal’. He remains determined, stating: “I’m still chasing gold. I hope to move past this quickly before Tuesday.”
What Other Media Are Saying
- Us Weekly reports that Italian Paralympian Giacomo Perini has been stripped of his bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Games for using an illegal device during the race, allegedly a forgotten cell phone.(read more)
- Tyla reports that Australian Paralympic runner Jaryd Clifford has been disqualified from the men’s T13 5000m final moments after crossing the finish line for breaking rules.(read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
Why was Jaryd Clifford disqualified from the men’s T13 5,000m final?
He was disqualified for not being properly tethered to his guide moments before crossing the finish line.
What rule did Jaryd Clifford break in the race?
Clifford broke the rule requiring him to hold the tether with his guide all the way to the finish line.
How did Jaryd Clifford’s guides assist him in the race?
Clifford was tethered to guides Matt Clarke and Tim Logan to help him focus on running without worrying about tactics.
What was Jaryd Clifford’s reaction to his disqualification?
Clifford found it ‘pretty shattering’ but still feels like it’s his ‘fourth Paralympics medal’ and is focused on his next event.
What are Jaryd Clifford’s future plans after the disqualification?
Clifford plans to channel his energy and disappointment into his performance in the 1500m event.
