Swiss Star Catherine Debrunner Wins 5 Races, Sets Record

Six-time Paralympic champion Catherine Debrunner gave Swiss fans something to celebrate, winning five wheelchair races and breaking a world record on home soil in Nottwil. The three-day competition drew over 450 athletes from 58 countries, with Paralympic stars delivering performances that reset the record books.

Debrunner opened the competition by shattering her own world record in the women's 200m T53 with a time of 26.44 seconds. She had set the previous mark at the same venue four years ago.

"It was great fun competing in front of a home crowd and friends," Debrunner said. "Of course, I'm delighted that I was able to achieve so many victories."

The Swiss star swept the 400m, 800m, and 1500m T53 races, defeating Chinese wheelchair racing legend Zhou Hongzhuan in two events. Her only loss came in a photo finish in the 100m, where she missed first place by just three thousandths of a second to Bermuda's Jessica Lewis Cooper.

The Ripple Effect

The record-breaking weekend inspired athletes across continents. American eight-time Paralympic champion Tatyana McFadden set a world record in the women's 800m T54, clocking 1:41.14 to break a mark that had stood for seven years.

Thailand emerged as a powerhouse with their Paralympic icons delivering stunning performances. Paeyo Pongsakorn broke a nine-year-old world record in the men's 200m T53 with a time of 24.89 seconds, while teammate Athiwat Paeng-Nuea lowered his own world record in the men's 100m T53-T54 to 13.54 seconds.

The competition showcased wheelchair racing's growing depth and competitiveness. China's Liu Yang pulled off an upset by defeating several Paralympic champions in the men's 800m T54, while China's Jin Hua ended Swiss favorite Marcel Hug's dominance in the men's 5000m.

Uzbekistan's 20-year-old Madina Mukhtorova added to the record haul with a world record throw of 25.58 meters in the women's discus F40. Poland's Bartosz Wolos and Italy's Carlo Fabio Marcello Calcagni both set new marks in frame running events, a category making its Paralympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

The Nottwil competition marked the fourth stop of the 2026 World Para Athletics Grand Prix season, proving that Paralympic sports continue to push boundaries and inspire fans worldwide.