IT IS THE penultimate day of action in Tokyo. Welcome to the latest of our overnight updates from the Paralympic Games.
The Irish Eye
In the women’s shot put F40, Mary Fitzgerald finished sixth on her Paralympic debut. Her best throw of the day was 7.79 metres. Poland’s Renata Sliwinska secured a Paralympic Record and a gold medal thanks to a 8.75m throw in the event.
In an incredibly dramatic conclusion, Patrick O’Leary finished 5th in the VL3 Va’a final in a time of 52.910. The Cork paddler was just two-tenths of a second off a medal in his second Paralympic Canoeing final.
“It feels fabulous to have finished fifth. The important thing for me is to get out of me what I have in me and I really don’t think I had another 10th of a second in me,” said O’Leary post-race.
“There’s no such thing as a perfect race but on the day it was as good as I had in me. If there are four guys in the world better than me that’s fine, I’ll take that.
“I knew the shape I was in when I came out here and that’s reflected in my performances, so it’s been a really wonderful success for me.
“This competition has also been a great advertisement for para-canoe. All the races have been really tight and you see the spirit of it as well. It’s been fabulous. You just get out there and enjoy it.
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“I smile every time I get on the water and before each race to remind myself that this is what I enjoy.”
Tommy Dickson / INPHO
Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO
Phil Eaglesham took 15th place in the R9 Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH2 with a score of 618.3.
Who else is making headlines?
Wheelchair racing star Hannah Cockroft shrugged off a freak injury to smash her own Paralympic record as she cruised to the seventh gold of her glittering career in rain-soaked Tokyo.
The 29-year-old suffered a nasty cut after catching her right hand in her chair less than an hour before dominantly defending her T34 800m crown in testing conditions at the Olympic Stadium.
She sported strapping on the wound, which was also covered by custom-made 3D printed gloves – manufactured by her GB team-mate Richard Chiassaro – to provide additional grip in the wet weather.
Yorkshire-born Cockroft feared doctors may recommend a withdrawal but doggedly battled on and insisted she would have been on the start line “even if my hand’s fallen off”.
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Paralympic Breakfast: Pat O'Leary narrowly misses out on medal in blanket finish
IT IS THE penultimate day of action in Tokyo. Welcome to the latest of our overnight updates from the Paralympic Games.
The Irish Eye
In the women’s shot put F40, Mary Fitzgerald finished sixth on her Paralympic debut. Her best throw of the day was 7.79 metres. Poland’s Renata Sliwinska secured a Paralympic Record and a gold medal thanks to a 8.75m throw in the event.
In an incredibly dramatic conclusion, Patrick O’Leary finished 5th in the VL3 Va’a final in a time of 52.910. The Cork paddler was just two-tenths of a second off a medal in his second Paralympic Canoeing final.
“It feels fabulous to have finished fifth. The important thing for me is to get out of me what I have in me and I really don’t think I had another 10th of a second in me,” said O’Leary post-race.
“There’s no such thing as a perfect race but on the day it was as good as I had in me. If there are four guys in the world better than me that’s fine, I’ll take that.
“I knew the shape I was in when I came out here and that’s reflected in my performances, so it’s been a really wonderful success for me.
“This competition has also been a great advertisement for para-canoe. All the races have been really tight and you see the spirit of it as well. It’s been fabulous. You just get out there and enjoy it.
“I smile every time I get on the water and before each race to remind myself that this is what I enjoy.”
Phil Eaglesham took 15th place in the R9 Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH2 with a score of 618.3.
Who else is making headlines?
Wheelchair racing star Hannah Cockroft shrugged off a freak injury to smash her own Paralympic record as she cruised to the seventh gold of her glittering career in rain-soaked Tokyo.
The 29-year-old suffered a nasty cut after catching her right hand in her chair less than an hour before dominantly defending her T34 800m crown in testing conditions at the Olympic Stadium.
She sported strapping on the wound, which was also covered by custom-made 3D printed gloves – manufactured by her GB team-mate Richard Chiassaro – to provide additional grip in the wet weather.
Yorkshire-born Cockroft feared doctors may recommend a withdrawal but doggedly battled on and insisted she would have been on the start line “even if my hand’s fallen off”.
“To come here with a gammy hand, I’m happy,” she said.
“I put my hand through the wheel, while the chair was moving – I’ve never done it before.
“Wheelchairs and rain don’t mix so I slipped off the rim and there’s not really much space to slip into so it went straight in.”
Picture of the day
Ireland’s Pat O’Leary ahead of the Canoe Sprint at the Sea Forrest Waterway.
Your must-see Paralympic schedule for today
Four-time Paralympic gold medallist Michael McKillop races in the T37/38 1500m Final at 11.15am.
-additional reporting by PA & Paralympics Ireland
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