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AUSTRALIAN MEDALS Day 7:
GOLD
Alexa Leary (swimming, women’s 100m freestyle, S9) – One of the richest redemption stories keeps getting richer. Leary smashed a world record she had set earlier in the day to career home and win her second gold medal of her debut Games.
Yang Qian (table tennis, women’s singles S10) – The Chinese-born table tennis player is a woman of few words but of many medals. Defending her Tokyo crown, the 28-year-old emerged with a 3-0 win over Natalia Partyka.
SILVER
Lauren Parker (cycling, women’s H1-3 individual time trial) – Chasing an historic gold double after her triathlon triumph, Parker went desperately close to finishing first. She finished just 9.50 seconds behind American winner Katerina Brim.
Meg Lemon (cycling, women’s C4 individual time trial) – After winning bronze in Tokyo, the 34-year-old went one better but was unable to reel in Samantha Bosco of the USA.
Alistair Donohoe (cycling, men’s C5 individual time trial) – Donohoe won silver at Rio and bronze in Tokyo but he couldn’t better them against Dutch racer Daniel Abraham, who finished 26.87 seconds ahead of the Australian.
BRONZE
Alana Forster (cycling, women’s C5 individual time trial) – A triumphant first Paralympic medal for the Victorian, who two years ago was in emergency care after being involved in a near-fatal car crash.
Darren Hicks (cycling, men’s C2 individual time trial) – Hicks, who won gold at Tokyo, went close to retaining his crown but he finished 15.63 seconds off an inspired showing from eventual winner Alexandre Leaute of France.
Ricky Betar (swimming, men’s 200m individual medley S14) – The 20-year-old looked to have a strong chance of picking up a gold medal when he led the race through the first 100m. But Canada’s Nicholas Bennett and Great Britain’s Rhys Darbey finished strongly to place ahead of him.
Grant Patterson (swimming, men’s 50m breaststroke, SB2) – A fourth Paralympic medal for the colourful and endearing 35-year-old who made a late move to finish in third. Patterson declared after his race he wanted to keep competing until Brisbane 2032.
WHAT ELSE HAPPENED
* Athletics – Sprinter Mali Lovell secured a place in the 100m T36 final by setting a personal best of 14.57sec, but the 20-year-old was well beaten as she finished fifth in the final.
* Archery – Taymon Kenton-Smith turned heads on Wednesday in the men’s individual recurve as he went on a giantkilling run. Boasting green and gold dyed hair and a feather in his cap, the Queenslander knocked over Mexico’s world No. 1 Samuel Molina and world No. 4 Jun Gan of China before losing his semi-final and the bronze medal match to place fourth overall.
*Boccia – Australia’s top mixed pairing of Jamieson Leeson and Dan Michel failed to overcome a slow start against South Korea and fell to a 4-2 in their doubles quarter-final.
*Wheelchair basketball – Less than 18 hours after losing their quarter-final to Great Britain, the Rollers were back in action in their classification match, claiming a 78-74 win over Spain.
WHO SAID WHAT?
“I didn’t come here for silver. If I was a vampire, the amount of silvers I’ve got, I’d be dead.” – Alistair Donohoe after his second-place finish in his individual time trial.
“We copped a lot of s*** in his younger years, so to see him now – winning a medal – stuff youse all. On ya Ricky.” – Ricky Betar’s father, Drew, beaming with pride after his son’s third-place finish.
MEDAL TABLE (after day seven)
1. China – Gold: 62, Silver: 46, Bronze 27. Total: 135.
2. Great Britain – Gold: 33, Silver: 25, Bronze 16. Total: 74.
3. USA – Gold: 25, Silver: 26, Bronze 12. Total: 63.
4. Netherlands – Gold: 16, Silver: 7, Bronze 5. Total: 28.
****
9. Australia – Gold: 11, Silver: 12, Bronze 18. Total: 41.