Gold for Grace: Cedarville Alumna Wins 2024 Paratriathlon in Paris

With family and friends in attendance, and a campus community cheering for Grace Norman at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, Norman won her second gold medal in her decorated Paralympic career on Sunday, Sept. 2.

And, her triumph was done in an impressive style that spilled into tears of joy moments after she completed the race, as was captured in a WCMH TV interview. 

"Oh, man, I am overjoyed," Norman said through tears. "It was a really hard year to get here with a lot of injuries. It was all God out there."

Norman sank to the turf with the United States flag draped around her moments after winning the 2024 paratriathlon race in Paris. Now a four-time Paralympic medalist, Norman claimed victory with an impressive time of 1 hour, 4 minutes and 40 seconds—1 minute, 15 seconds ahead of Great Britain’s Claire Cashmore. Lauren Steadman of Great Britain, who won the gold medal in this event four years earlier, finished in third place.

Reflecting on her journey, Norman shared to the media in Paris, "(This feeling) is incredible. Going from gold to silver and back to gold, it definitely made me work hard over these eight years. I am ecstatic,” said Norman. "I tried to keep my cool for most of the run until the last lap when I knew I had it. I started picking out my family, my husband, my coaches, and when I went by, I gave them a little smile. Having these people here, whom I didn’t have in Tokyo, meant the world to me as I crossed the finish line. It’s incredible."

A three-time Paralympian, Norman previously won gold at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games and silver at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. She also competed in track and field in Rio, earning bronze in the women’s 400 meters. A four-time World Champion, Norman arrived in Paris with eight consecutive wins in World Triathlon races dating back to November 2022.

A 2020 graduate of Cedarville University in Ohio with a degree in nursing, Norman competed on the NCAA track and cross-country teams, showcasing her athletic versatility and dedication. She and her husband currently live in Bloomington, Indiana.

Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is a Baptist university with undergraduate programs in arts, sciences, and professional programs, and graduate programs. With an enrollment of 5,456 students in 175 areas of study, Cedarville is one of the largest private universities in Ohio and is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs and high graduation and retention rates. For more information about the University, visit cedarville.edu.