Ugandan Paralympic athlete David Emong is hopeful that medical examinations will rule out any serious heart issues after experiencing breathing difficulties during the 1500m T46 final at the Stade de France.

Emong, who complained of severe chest pain, said, "I started to experience the chest pain from around the 150m to 200m mark on the final bend," which significantly slowed his pace and disrupted his race strategy. Despite feeling strong prior to the incident and confident about his chances for a medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, the pain dashed his hopes.

"My plan was to stick with Michael Roeger, who I know is very good, and then kick later, but when the pain hit, I lost touch," Emong explained.

The Australian runner, who settled for silver, holds the world record in the event with a time of 3:46.51. Emong's coach, Jameson Ssenkungu, observed the athlete's struggles during the final stretch, noting that his race unraveled around the 180m mark.

Paris 2024 marks Emong's fourth Paralympic appearance, following his participation in London 2012, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020. Emong is one of Uganda's two athletics representatives at the Paralympic Games, along with Peace Oroma. The team also includes powerlifter and team captain Denis Mbazira and swimmer Husna Kukundakwe.