Noelle Lambert Excels at 2024 Paralympics, Just Misses Medal in Long Jump
Noelle Lambert, an alumna of the reality competition “Survivor,” made an impressive mark at the 2024 Paralympic Games held in Paris, narrowly missing out on a medal in the T63 women’s long jump event, where she finished in fourth place. The event was dominated by Vanessa Low from Australia, who secured the gold medal, followed by Martina Caironi of Italy with the silver, and Elena Kratter of Switzerland, who claimed the bronze.
The T63 classification includes athletes who utilize a lower limb prosthesis during competition. Lambert, who tragically lost her left leg in a moped accident in 2016, aimed to surpass the T63 world record of 5.46 meters established by Caironi in June 2022. Notably, at the U.S. Paralympic Team Trials in July, Lambert distinguished herself as the first American woman in the T63 category to achieve a jump exceeding 5 meters, reaching a distance of 5.06 meters on her second attempt.
Previously, Lambert represented the United States in sprinting at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, where she placed sixth in the 100-meter race and set a new American record. She is slated to compete again on Saturday in the 100-meter event.
Beyond her athletic accomplishments, Lambert participated in “Survivor 43” in 2022, where she finished eighth. She was eliminated shortly after demonstrating her abilities as a strategic, social, and physical competitor. A particularly poignant moment in her Survivor journey occurred when she successfully traversed a balance beam using only one leg, which she described in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, stating, “I was looking at it and thinking, ‘There is no way I will be able to do this.'” This experience allowed her to express emotions that she typically keeps private, highlighting the support she received from fellow contestants.
Lambert’s departure from the show coincided with that of fellow Paralympian Ryan Medrano, who went on to win two silver medals at the 2024 Games, finishing second in both the men’s 100-meter T38 event and the 400-meter T38 event. Medrano credited Lambert with inspiring him to pursue a path in the Paralympics, recalling, “She pulled me aside after we were both voted off… and stated, ‘Hey… you can run the Paralympics.’” He expressed that without her encouragement and the information she provided, he might not have ventured into the realm of competitive athletics.
Noelle Lambert’s journey in both sports and reality television serves as a profound testament to resilience and inspiration, symbolizing the triumph of the human spirit against adversity.
Post Comment