Grace Norman wins silver in Paralympic triathlon

A few strides from the end of her race, Norman blew kisses with her left hand to the few USA teammates and others in the mostly-empty, COVID-restricted stands.

She shook a fist of jubilation to the heavens and once she crossed the finish line she dropped down on the pavement next to the seated and exhausted Steadman – her stanch competitor and good friend – and they embraced and then did a left-handed fist bump.

Back at Cedarville University, a crowd of some three dozen people – including Grace’s parents Dr. Tim Norman, an engineering professor at the school; her mom Robin, who coached in her in high school; her younger sister, Danielle, a CU senior; and her 86-year-old grandfather Roy Norman – all stood and cheered as the scene unfolded on the large video screen set up for their watch party at the Stevens Student Center.

“Great job Grace! We’re so proud of you,” Robin said as she watched her daughter’s sportsmanship follow her display of elite athleticism.

An amniotic band disorder when she was born cost Norman her left ankle and foot, her right big toe and nearly her right leg.

She runs with a J-shaped, carbon fiber Cheetah Flex prosthetic.

She came into the Tokyo race Rated No. 3 in the world behind Steadman and No. 2 Claire Cashmore, also a Brit.

After the first part of the triathlon – the 750-meter swim – Norman was in the lead by 43 seconds over Cashmore. She was 44 seconds ahead of Canada’s Kamylle Frenette and had 45 seconds on Steadman.

She was carried from the water to her bike, where she first sat on the pavement and attached her biking prosthetic. Meanwhile, Steadman and Cashmore, both missing hands, were able to run from the water to their bikes.

Steadman is the best cyclist in the competition – which is 20-kilometer (12.5 miles) race – and she passed Norman on the third lap of the four-lap circuit. At the end of the bike portion of the competition, she led Norman by 18 seconds.

Norman – a former track and cross country standout at Cedarville University – is the best runner in the field and it was figured she would retake the lead from Steadman.

But the Tokyo heat was likely a factor. It had been 84 degrees when the race started there on Sunday morning and race organizers said it felt like 94 degrees. The water temperature had been a bath-like 87 degrees. By the end of the competition, the air temperature was in the 90s.

Steadman managed to pull away a bit more from Norman in the 5K (3.1 mile run).

Cashmore finished third, 2 minutes and 50 seconds behind Steadman, and Frenette was 5:23 back.

“This has been a long time coming,” Norman said after the race. “I had a great race, start to finish. No regrets. I gave it my all. I’m overjoyed. It was an incredible day.”

She then turned her attention to Steadman, who is five years older:

“We’ve raced for 7 or 8 years and have become close friends. I respect her so much. She is a phenomenal athlete.

“Of course I wanted to win gold, but I’m happy for her.

“She was amazing before the race. She came up to me and said, ‘I just want to wish you luck ... Have fun out there.’ It meant the world to me. The camaraderie is important, too.”

Norman had that and she won a silver medal, too.

It was an incredible day.