TOKYO, Japan, July 26, 2024 - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced that its sponsored wheelchair athletes Manuela Schär, Susannah Scaroni and Catherine Debrunner have been qualified to compete in the athletics events at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, which begin on August 28.
Schär (Switzerland) will compete in five events: 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m, and the marathon. This will be her sixth consecutive appearance since the Athens 2004 Games. She made her debut in an international competition at the European Athletics Championships held in Switzerland in 2001, and has long been a leader in wheelchair races, having also won the Tokyo Marathon held in March this year. However, she has announced that she will focus on marathon racing from next year onwards, and this will be her last time participating in a track race.
Scaroni (USA) will compete in four events: 800m, 1500m, 5000m, and marathon. In the first half of this year, she had to miss competitions due to an injury, but set a new world record in the 5000m in her return at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix (Switzerland).
Debrunner (Switzerland) will compete in six events: 100m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m, and the marathon. She has taken on various international competitions since the Junior World Championships in 2006. From 2022, she devoted herself to wheelchair racing as a professional athlete, and holds world records in five events: 100m, 400m, 800m, 1500m and the marathon.
Based on the vision for its sports activities – “To increase the number of people who take on challenges through sports activities and make the lives of all people more enjoyable” – Honda has been supporting and will continue to support various athletes who take on challenges toward the realization of their own dreams.
Comment from Manuela Schär
“My goal for the Paris 2024 Games is to perform as well as I can. I’m really exciting to compete against strong players. I think it’s going to be quite interesting in Paris. I would love to take home a medal. It’s my last track event of my career, so that would be really special. It’s a really strong field, so I’ll just try my best and see what happens.
Comment from Susannah Scaroni
“For the Paris Paralympic Games, my plan is always to do the best I can. This year, I think I’m going into it with more skill than I’ve ever had before and a lot of confidence, so my plan is to try to be pretty smart, but also try to be as prepared as possible.”
Comment from Catherine Debrunner
“My goal for the Paralympics in Paris is to be the best Catherine I have ever been. And since I have seen all the races at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix and how high the level is, I’m super excited for these races and I can’t wait to be there.”
Manuela Schär Profile
Date of birth: December 5, 1984
Nationality: Switzerland
＜Main achievements＞
●2024
World Para Athletics Grand Prix (Switzerland) 800m: Winner *European record, 400m/5000m: 2nd, 1500m: 3rd
London Marathon: 2nd
Boston Marathon: 2nd
Tokyo Marathon: Winner
●2023
Oita International Wheelchair Marathon: 2nd
New York City Marathon: 2nd
Chicago Marathon: 4th
Berlin Marathon: 3rd
Paris World Para Athletics Championships: 400m/800m: Winner, 1500m/5000m: 2nd
London Marathon: 2nd
Tokyo Marathon: Winner
●2022
New York City Marathon: 2nd
Berlin Marathon: 2nd
Boston Marathon: Winner
●2021
New York City Marathon: 3rd
Berlin Marathon: Winner
Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games 400m/800m: Winner, 1500m/5000m: 2nd
London Marathon: Winner
Susannah Scaroni Profile
Date of birth: May 16, 1991
Nationality: U.S.
＜Main achievements＞
●2024
World Para Athletics Grand Prix (Switzerland) 5000m: Winner *World record, 800m/1500m: 2nd
Tokyo Marathon: 3rd
●2023
Oita International Wheelchair Marathon: 3rd
New York City Marathon: 3rd
Chicago Marathon: 2nd
Berlin Marathon 4th
Paris World Para Athletics Championships 400m/800m: Winner, 1500m/5000m: 2nd
London Marathon: 4th
Boston Marathon: Winner
●2022
Oita International Wheelchair Marathon: 2nd
New York City Marathon: Winner
Chicago Marathon: Winner
Berlin Marathon 3rd
Boston Marathon: 2nd
London Marathon: 2nd
●2021
Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games 5000m: Winner, 800m: 3rd
Catherine Debrunner Profile
Date of birth: April 11, 1995
Nationality: Switzerland
＜Main achievements＞
●2024
World Para Athletics Grand Prix (Switzerland) 400m/800m/1500m: Winner *1500m world record
London Marathon: Winner
World Para Athletics Grand Prix (Dubai) 100m/400m/1500m/5000m: Winner, 800m: 2nd
●2023
Oita International Wheelchair Marathon: Winner
New York City Marathon: Winner
Chicago Marathon: Winner
Berlin Marathon: Winner
Paris World Para Athletics Championships 400m/800m/1500m/5000m: Winner, 100m: 2nd
●2022
Berlin Marathon: Winner
London Marathon: Winner
●2021
Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games 400m: Winner, 800m: 3rd