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Ronan Grimes. Casey B. Gibson/INPHO

Paralympic Breakfast: Ronan Grimes carries Ireland's medal hopefuls for third day

Galway man already setting a good pace and personal bests ahead of event this morning.

Start every morning with The 42′s definitive guide to all the day’s action: when you need to be in front of the TV, who are Ireland’s medal hopefuls, and what other big stories should you look out for.

AND SO IT’S on to Day Three in Paris. 

But before all that, let’s bask a little while longer on the achievements of Róisín Ní Riain. 

She claimed the first medal for Ireland at the 2024 Paralympics on Friday night in the S13 10,  backstroke final when she finished second in a time of 1:07.27, behind the winner Gia Pergolini of the USA, who was first in 1:04.93. Italy’s Carlotta Gilli took bronze in a time of 1:08.08. 

This is the 19-year-olds first Paralympic honour, to go along with World and European Championship gold. 

Elsewhere, there was disappointment for Ellen Keane who ended up in fourth place in the SB8 100m breaststroke final at the La Défense Arena. 

But as for now, let’s see what could unfold this morning and today. 

Which Irish athletes are competing — and when can I watch them?

The action slows down somewhat with only five sports featuring Irish interest on Saturday.

Athletics: Shauna Bocquet will be featuring in the wheelchair race final of the T54 5000m, which will be taking place at 9.40am Irish time in the Stade de France.

The 20 year-old Galway woman got through her heat on Friday when she was required to finish in the top five. She formed part of a four-person breakaway that left clear distance between the chasers to finish fourth on a time of 12.44.52.

Coverage of this event can be found on RTÉ2+1, starting at 10am.

Greta Streimikyte will be lining up for the final of the T13 1500 metres run at the Stade de France, that final scheduled for 6.13pm Irish time which will also be screened on RTÉ 2+1.

Born in Lithuania and having moved to Ireland at 15, this is Streimikyte’s third Games.

Cycling: he Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Veoldrome will be the stage for two Irish Para cyclists today.

Richael Timothy, after setting a personal best time on the first day of competition, will be in qualifying at 9am for the C1-3 500 time trial, with a possible final at 12.35pm.

Ronan Grimes is in the C4-5 4000m Individual Pursuit, with the qualifying heat at 10.02am, with a potential finals from before 2pm.

Rowing: Finally, Katie O’Brien and Tiarnán O’Donnell will be in the Pr2 Mixed Double Sculls for the Para Rowing, for a Repechage stage at 9.50am. That takes place at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium.

Team Ireland Medal Watch

There is a chance that Ronan Grimes was using the C4-5 1000m time trial on Friday as a decent sighter for later in the Paralympics.

ronan-grimes Ronan Grimes. SWpix / Will Palmer/INPHO SWpix / Will Palmer/INPHO / Will Palmer/INPHO

He lost out on a place in the final, but he still set a personal best time of 1:05.52, which is also now the new National Record.

The Athenry man perhaps favours longer distances than that and is in action for the C4- 4000m event. Back in the Tokyo Paralympics he came 4th in the Mean’s Individual Pursuit, and 6th in the C4 Time Trial.

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Declan Bogue
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