Paralympics 2024: Australian first in boccia amid triathlon glory as Steelers net gritty bronze
GOLD
Lauren Parker, (triathlon, women’s PTWC) - Parker’s redemption story is complete. She has been tortured by her one-second loss to Kendall Gretsch in Tokyo and exacted revenge on the American in style.
Alexa Leary, Jesse Aungles, Tim Hodge, Emily Beecroft (34-point mixed 4x100m medley) - Trailing by more than six seconds with 100m to go, Leary jumped into the pool and produced the race of her career to run down Netherlands and capture gold.
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Jake Michel (swimming, men’s 100m breaststroke S14) - Michel saw off world record holder Japan’s Naohide Yamaguchi in the final 20 metres, but so did Canada’s Nicholas Bennett, who finished just ahead of the Australian to claim gold.
Jamieson Leeson (boccia, women’s individual BC3) - A gallant effort from Leeson, who became Australia’s first female boccia medallist. The 21-year-old lost 4-2 in a tight match to Hong Kong’s Ho Yuen Kei.
Dan Michel (boccia, men’s individual BC3)- Slow start allowed Korean favourite Howon Jeong to prevail 5-2. Michel, who won bronze in Tokyo, will aim to claim gold when he and Leeson team up in the doubles.
BRONZE
Wheelchair rugby team - After uncharacteristic errors from Ryley Batt denied them a chance to compete in the gold medal match, the Steelers bounced back to claim bronze by defeating Great Britain 50-48.
Michael Burian (athletics, men’s F64 javelin) - Burian threw 64.89m - a season’s best - but it was not enough to prevent India’s Sumit Antil from defending his gold medal crown as he set a Paralympic record of 70.59.
WHAT ELSE HAPPENED?
* Athletics - Telaya Blacksmith set an Australian record in the T20 400m to qualify for the final. The 16-year-old clocked a time of 57.96sec.
* Archery - Australia’s mixed compound team of Ameera Lee and Jonathan Milne were bundled out at the quarter-final stage, falling to a 150-141 defeat at the hands of Great Britain.
* Table tennis - Fresh off winning the doubles gold medal, Australia’s Qian Yang is through to the semi-final of the S10 singles after brushing aside Taiwan’s Tzu Yu Lin in three straight sets.
WHO SAID WHAT?
“I’ll be 46 if I go to Brisbane. I’m already the oldest in the team, but I won’t rule Brisbane out, that’s my home city.” - Steelers skipper Chris Bond is teasing that his Paralympics career does not end here after he captained Australia to the bronze medal.
“From today I don’t want to hear anything more about discrimination, prejudices against transgender people” - Italian runner Valentina Petrillo after qualifying for the women’s T12 400m semi-final. Petrillo, who is visually impaired, transitioned in 2019 after previously winning men’s national titles. She subsequently failed to make the final.
MEDAL TABLE
1. China - Gold: 43, Silver: 30, Bronze 14. Total: 87.
2. Great Britain - Gold: 29, Silver: 14, Bronze 10. Total: 53.
3. USA - Gold: 13, Silver: 19, Bronze 10. Total: 42.
4. Brazil - Gold: 12, Silver: 8, Bronze 17. Total: 37.
5. France - Gold: 10, Silver: 10, Bronze 13. Total: 33.
6. Australia - Gold: 8, Silver: 9, Bronze 12. Total: 29.
Originally published on AAP
