Catherine Debrunner

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Catherine Debrunner

| image = Catherine Debrunner.jpg

| caption = Training von Catherine Debrunner in Nottwil

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1995|04|11}}

| birth_place = Mettendorf TG

| nationality =

| other_names =

| education = Thurgau University of Education

| disability_class = T53

| club = Red Velvet Racing Team

| coach = Arno Mul

| years_active =

| known_for =

| notable_works =

| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Sport| Women's para-athletics }}

{{Medal|Country| {{CHE}} }}

}}

Catherine Debrunner (born 11 April 1995) is a Swiss athlete and teacher. She has competed for Team Switzerland at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships where she won a gold and a silver medal. She won the 2024 London Marathon and set new course records at the 2023 Berlin Marathon, the 2023 Chicago Marathon, and the 2023 New York City Marathon. She won five gold medals at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris including one for the T54 Marathon.{{Cite web |date=8 September 2024 |title=PARIS 2024 PARALYMPIC GAMES: MARCEL HUG AND CATHERINE DEBRUNNER CLAIM T54 MARATHON TITLES |url=https://olympics.com/en/news/paris-2024-paralympic-games-marcel-hug-catherine-debrunner-t54-marathon-gold}}

Early life

Debrunner was born on 11 April 1995 in Mettendorf, Switzerland.{{cite web |title=Catherine Debrunner, Athletics |url=https://www.swissparalympic.ch/fr/athleten-archiv/catherine-debrunner-fr/ |website=swissparalympic.ch |accessdate=23 March 2020}} Due to a birth defect in her spine, she uses a wheelchair.{{cite web |last1=Bingesser |first1=Felix |title=So herzlich wird Debrunner von ihren Schülern empfangen |url=https://www.blick.ch/sport/behindertensport/rollstuhl-weltmeisterin-in-waltenschwil-gefeiert-so-herzlich-wird-debrunner-von-ihren-schuelern-empfangen-id15621369.html |website=blick.ch |accessdate=23 March 2020 |date=18 November 2019}} While attending a sports camp in Nottwil, she met her future trainer and coach Paul Odermatt.{{cite web |title=Catherine Debrunner |url=https://www.paralympic.org/catherine-debrunner |website=paralympic.org |accessdate=23 March 2020}} Since 2021 she is coached by Arno Mul (NED). {{cite web |title=NYRR Media Center Catherine Debrunner |url=https://www.nyrr.org/media-center/athletes/catherine-debrunner |accessdate=29 October 2023}}

Career

Debrunner competed in the T53 200 metres at the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships, where she earned a silver medal with a time of 30.64.{{cite news |last1=Wright |first1=Stephen |title=Fourth-place finish an 'incredible' feeling |url=http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20151022/sport04/151029870 |accessdate=23 March 2020 |publisher=Royal Gazette |date=23 October 2015}} She qualified for the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio,{{cite web |title=The Swiss Paralympic athletes Brazil 2016 |url=https://www.houseofswitzerland.org/headlines/swiss-paralympic-athletes |website=houseofswitzerland.org |accessdate=23 March 2020 |date=7 September 2016}} where she finished seventh in the Women's 400 metres.{{cite web |title=Results Archive Rio 2016 Athletics - Women's 400 m T53 |url=https://www.paralympic.org/rio-2016/results/athletics/womens-400-m-t53 |website=paralympic.org |accessdate=23 March 2020}} Debrunner subsequently took a break from sports to focus on her education before returning to Team Switzerland for the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships.{{cite news |last1=Sachers |first1=Laura |title=Aus dem Schulzimmer nach Dubai: Die Hüttlinger Rollstuhlathletin Catherine Debrunner ist zurück im Spitzensport |url=https://www.tagblatt.ch/ostschweiz/frauenfeld/rollstuhlathletin-catherine-debrunner-nimmt-an-wm-in-dubai-teil-ld.1163847 |accessdate=23 March 2020 |publisher=St. Galler Tagblatt |date=29 October 2019}} In Dubai, she earned a gold medal in the Women's 400m T53{{cite web |title=Gold für Thurgauerin Catherine Debrunner an der Para-Leichathletik-WM |url=https://www.toponline.ch/news/sport/detail/news/gold-fuer-thurgauerin-catherine-debrunner-an-der-para-leichathletik-wm-00123255/ |website=toponline.ch |accessdate=23 March 2020 |language=German |date=9 November 2019}} and a silver medal in the women's 800m T53 race.{{cite web |title=Madison de Rozario and Vanessa Low win world para championship gold medals |url=https://7news.com.au/sport/athletics/para-world-gold-for-australian-women-c-554096 |website=7news.com.au |accessdate=23 March 2020 |date=12 November 2019}}

At the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships Debrunner won 4 golds in the 400m 800m, 1500m and 5000m. She also added one silver medal by finishing second behind Sammi Kinghorn.{{Cite web |title=Year in review: Paris 23 World Championships top moments |url=https://www.paralympic.org/news/year-review-paris-23-para-athletics-world-championships-top-moments |access-date=21 December 2023}}

At the 2022 Berlin Marathon, Debrunner, competing in her first marathon won the race with a time of 1:36:47, breaking Manuela Schär's streak of five Berlin Marathon wins.{{cite web |url=https://archive.today/20220925105723/https://berlin.r.mikatiming.com/2022/?pid=leaderboard&event=BMR |title=BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2022 |access-date=5 November 2023 |archive-url=https://berlin.r.mikatiming.com/2022/?pid=leaderboard&event=BMR |archive-date=25 September 2022 |url-status=live}} In May 2023, Debrunner was awarded the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability.{{Cite news |title=Messi & Argentina World Cup team win Laureus awards |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/65528208 |access-date=2023-06-12}} Later that year, Debrunner set another world record at the 2023 Berlin Marathon with a time of 1:34:16{{cite web |title=Catherine Debrunner pulverises world record at Berlin Marathon |url=https://www.paralympic.org/news/catherine-debrunner-pulverises-world-record-berlin-marathon |publisher=Paralympics |access-date=25 December 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231118084431/https://www.paralympic.org/news/catherine-debrunner-pulverises-world-record-berlin-marathon |archive-date=18 November 2023}} and made her U.S. race debut in the 2023 Chicago Marathon in October. During the Chicago marathon, Debrunner set a new course record with a time of 1:38:44.{{cite web |title=Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner set new course records at Chicago Marathon |url=https://www.paralympic.org/news/marcel-hug-and-catherine-debrunner-set-new-course-records-chicago-marathon |publisher=Paralympics |access-date=24 December 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231118084417/https://www.paralympic.org/news/marcel-hug-and-catherine-debrunner-set-new-course-records-chicago-marathon#selection-863.144-863.259 |archive-date=18 November 2023}} She also won the 2023 New York City Marathon, setting a course record with a time of 1:39:32,{{cite press release |title=TCS New York City Marathon Becomes World’s Largest Marathon in 2023 |date=November 6, 2023 |publisher=New York Road Runners |location=New York |url=https://www.nyrr.org/media-center/press-release/20231106_tcsnycmbythenumbers |access-date=June 7, 2024}} and the 2024 London Marathon.{{Cite web|url=https://www.aol.com/london-marathon-2024-results-marcel-094418374.html|title=London Marathon 2024 results: Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner win wheelchair races|first=A. O. L.|last=Staff|date=21 April 2024|website=www.aol.com}}

She won five gold medals and a silver at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris. Including a gold for the T54 Marathon which she led from start. The Australian Madison de Rozario came second and the American Susannah Scaroni had the bronze medal.{{Cite web |date=8 September 2024 |title=PARIS 2024 PARALYMPIC GAMES: MARCEL HUG AND CATHERINE DEBRUNNER CLAIM T54 MARATHON TITLES |url=https://olympics.com/en/news/paris-2024-paralympic-games-marcel-hug-catherine-debrunner-t54-marathon-gold}}

References

External links

{{IPC|catherine-debrunner|id2=966419&WinterGames=-1}}
[https://www.swissparalympic.ch/athleten-archiv/catherine-debrunner/ Catherine Debrunner] at the Swiss Paralympic Committee {{in lang|de|fr}}

Category:1995 births

Category:Living people

Category:Swiss female wheelchair racers

Category:Paralympic athletes for Switzerland

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2016 Summer Paralympics

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Paralympics

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2024 Summer Paralympics

Category:World Para Athletics Championships winners

Category:Medalists at the World Para Athletics European Championships

Category:Medalists at the 2024 Summer Paralympics

Category:Paralympic medalists in athletics (track and field)

Category:Paralympic gold medalists for Switzerland

Category:Paralympic silver medalists for Switzerland

Category:People from Bitburg-Prüm

Category:21st-century Swiss sportswomen