1st September 2012

Latest From Paralympics

 

01 September 2012

After four medals in the morning, the evening was relatively quiet for team GB and no medals were won but there were plenty of outstanding performances, especially from the younger athletes in the team.

In the T46 Javelin final,  Hollie Arnold (Anthony Hughes) started with a 29.42m, improved to 30.30m in the second and then 33.43m in the third which placed her fifth at the halfway stage. She threw 33.38m in the fifth round and was back in sixth, when she had a superb last throw of 36.27m to set a PB and move back up to fifth. The 18 year-old was much younger than the four who finished ahead of her.

She said, “I am quite disappointed with what I came away with. I wanted to medal and I thought I could get up to third. That last throw felt right to me and I almost wish I had more throws because I felt I could build on it.There were some amazing girls out there but I’m still very young and I have Rio ahead of me, that’s going to be my time.”

In the T38 100m Olivia Breen (Leroy Elliott) another promising youngster at just 16 was a fine fifth in 14.42.

She remarked after the race: “It was amazing, it’s just been phenomenal out there today. This morning was a bit annoying, but oh well, I did it and it was fine. I was just annoyed because I thought I’d done so well then we had to re-run it. I still think I ran really well tonight, but I could have done better. My aim was to make it to the final so I am really happy, it’s been amazing with so much support for me and really great to have my first ever Games – a home Games.”

In the T35 100m final 16 year-old Jordan Howe (Jane Koia) finished seventh in 13.64.

He stated afterwards, “It feels outstanding to have made the final.. I just feel all my hard work has paid off. I’m only 16 and everyone else in the race was much older than me, so the other guys kind of pulled me through and I did well to keep up. I just wanted to do my best and represent GB. I’ve got some big competitions coming up next year and Rio in four years time. I just want to say thanks to the crowd and for all the support I’ve had. It was the best moment of my life."

In the T36 200m final, Hazel Robson (Janice Kaufman) couldn’t match her heat form of 32.03 and finished fifth in 32.46/0.0, advancing two places after the two Argentinians were disqualified.

She said, “It was ok, I don’t like running in lane nine because you’re being chased down. I really tried to come through and pick it up but I think my legs might have been a bit tired from this morning; I wanted to kick and I couldn’t, but I tried my hardest. I think it’s a bit in my head too, because after being disqualified in Sydney for going outside my lane I do worry about it, but I’ll go and rest and I can look forward to my 100m.”

In the T12 100m semi final, Libby Clegg (Keith Antoine) followed up her world record that only lasted for one race this morning with a win in 12.23 to qualify as second fastest for tomorrow’s final where all four competitors had set a world record in the morning.

In the T44 100m, Britain had two representatives and both Stefanie Reid (Keith Antoine) who ran a season’s best of 13.98/0.3 and 16 year-old Sophie Kamlish (Rob Elchuk) who ran 14.11/0.1 qualified for the final.