Össur Athletes Also Set 5 New Paralympic Records While Wearing "Gold Standard" Cheetah Prosthetic Blades

REYKJAVIK, Iceland, Sept. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A global team of elite para athletes who wear Össur's renowned prosthetics won 22 medals and set five new Paralympic Records during the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, with the company's iconic carbon fiber Cheetah sports blades, easily identified by their distinctive yellow stripe, dominating several categories of Athletics competition. Össur is a leading global prosthetic brand belonging to mobility solutions provider Embla Medical.

In all, members of Team Össur and Össur Ambassadors delivered championship performances in several Long Jump, High Jump, Sprinting, Para Triathlon and Para Cycling contests, earning a total of 11 gold, seven silver and four bronze medals. These results would have placed Össur 11th in medals overall had its results represented a competing country.

Highlights included Fleur Jong of The Netherlands successfully defending her Tokyo Paralympic sprinting and Long Jump gold medals with another double gold medal-winning performance in Paris. In fact, Össur athletes executed a complete sweep of the Women's T64 Long Jump event, led by Fleur Jong, who set a new Paralympic record with a distance of 6.53m, followed by silver medalist Marlene van Gansewinkel of The Netherlands, who delivered a personal best distance of 5.87m, and Beatriz Hatz of the U.S., who won the bronze medal.

Germany's "Blade Jumper", Markus Rehm, earned his fourth consecutive Paralympic gold medal in the men's Long Jump T64 category with a distance of 8.13m, followed by first-time Paralympic competitor Derek Loccident of the U.S., who earned the silver medal. Rehm also was honored with the distinction of carrying the Paralympic Torch during the Opening Ceremonies, running on his signature Cheetah Xpanse sports prosthesis in a journey that culminated in the lighting of the Paris Cauldron.

Team USA's Hunter Woodhall earned his first-ever Paralympic gold medal in the men's T64 400m sprint, matching the Olympic gold medal performance of his wife, Tara Davis-Woodhall, just a month earlier.

"The Paris Paralympics set new standards for excellence, inclusivity and audience enthusiasm, and our athletes more than rose to the occasion," said Sveinn Solvason, President and CEO of Embla Medical, Össur's parent company. "Össur world-renowned Cheetah blades were clearly on display as the prosthesis of choice for many world-class athletes, and we are grateful to all of those who choose Össur as their partner. They inspire me, and everyone at our company to continue innovating and excelling on their behalf, as they represent a true embodiment of Life Without Limitations."

Össur Athlete Medal Results:

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SOURCE Embla Medical hf.