Rio 2016 Day 5 – while you were sleeping

The New Zealand Paralympic Team has had a busy and successful Day 5 so far in Rio with 8 Paralympians competing, setting two Paralympic records.

Cameron Leslie was the first Kiwi to compete starting a huge day in the pool. Leslie, the current World Record holder took a commanding lead in the Men’s 150 Individual Medley SM4 heat to qualify fastest in 2:29.36 for this morning’s final (NZT). Mary Fisher followed swiftly after in the Women’s 50m Freestyle S11 heat winning in a time of 31.35, qualifying third fastest for the final. Sophie Pascoe then returned to the pool in the Women’s 100m Butterfly S10 setting a new Paralympic Record of 1:04.37, going into tonight’s final with a 4 second lead over Yi Chen (China). New Zealand’s youngest team member Tupou Neiufi, made her Paralympic debut today competing in the Women’s 100m Freestyle S9 finishing 7^th in 1:11.21. While 16-year-old Hamish McLean was in the pool for his second event in Rio, placing 5^th in the Men’s 200m Individual Medley SM6 in a time of 2:59.81. Both Paralympians did not qualify for their respective finals. The final New Zealand Paralympian in the pool to compete in the heats was Nikita Howarth in the Women’s 50m Butterfly S7, currently ranked number 1 in world. Howarth will go into tonight’s final as the fastest qualifier in a time of 35.40.

While over at the Olympic Stadium debutant Paralympian William Stedman set a Paralympic record of 5.35m on his first attempt in the Men’s Long Jump T36, surpassing his personal best by 13cm. Following Stedman’s jump, this record was then exceeded by two other Paralympians. Stedman finished in 5^th place. Jacob Phillips ran his second final of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games finishing 8^th in the Men’s 200m T35 final in a time of 29.10.

Kiwis in action later today include: