The NZ Paralympic Team enjoyed a memorable day inside the Stade de France as Paralympian #211 Danielle Aitchison sprinted to a sizzling silver in the Women’s 100m T36 while Paralympian #183 Holly Robinson clinched the Women’s Shot Put F46 bronze as New Zealand stretched their medal tally to seven (four silver and three bronze) at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Aitchison executed another outstanding sprinting performance clocking 13.43 but had to concede the gold medal to defending champion Yiting Shi who edged a thrilling final in a new Paralympic record time of 13.39. The bronze medal was taken by Veronica Hipolito of Brazil in a time of 14.24.
Following the silver (Women’s 200m T36) and bronze (Women’s 100m T36) medals Aitchison won at Tokyo 2020 and the Women’s 200m T36 silver here at Paris 2024 it takes her total Paralympic Games medal haul to four.
After a false start by Samira da Silva Brito of Brazil the 23-year-old sprinter from Hamilton and her rival Shi quickly took a commanding lead, with Shi slowly pulling away and crossing the line just ahead of Aitchison in recording breaking time.
A jubilant Aitchison, who has cruised through her first round heat in 13.74 during the morning session today, said: “I just wanted to go out there and have fun no matter the outcome. I wasn’t particularly happy with the 200. Out there I loved the challenge with Yiting Shi next to me, pushing each other along. I’m really happy with how the race went.”
She continued: “It is so special to have my family in the crowd. It is so different from Tokyo. It is so great to have them come over to Paris and celebrate with me and enjoy the experience. I’m really excited to get back into training in a couple of months, I know I can push myself and get that gold medal in LA.”
Earlier, Robinson claimed a brilliant bronze in the Women’s Shot F46 to add to the gold and silver medals she banked in the Women’s Javelin F46 at the Tokyo 2020 and Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, respectively. Following the reintroduction of the Women’s Shot F46 into the Paralympic programme for the first time in 16 years the Kiwi opted three years ago to add shot put to her throwing repertoire alongside her favoured javelin.
While Robinson made another Paralympic podium with a best of 11.88m – Noelle Malkamaki of the USA was untouchable twice bettering her world record mark to strike gold with a best of 14.06m. Marila Shpatkivska of Ukraine also enjoyed a competition to remember twice bettering the area record to secure silver with a best of 12.35m.
In the first round, Robinson launched the metal orb out to around the 12-metre mark but unfortunately lost her balance on release and stepped out of the circle to register a foul. Malkamaki laid down a clear marker of her intent powering the shot out to mighty Paralympic record mark of 13.51m to establish early control of the competition.
Robinson responded in round two by popping out a safe legal throw at 11.46m to sit in provisional bronze. But out front there was fireworks as Shpatkivska launched the shot out to an area record toss of 12.22m before Malkamaki powered the metal ball to an eye-popping 13.95m to add 35cm on her world record.
There was no change to the medal order in round three, although Hokitika-raised Robinson improved her best throw to 11.72m.
With the field reduced from 15 down to the top eight at the halfway stage, Robinson added a further 1cm to her best of the day with a throw of 11.73m while Shpatkivska continued to piece together the competition of her life by bettering the Area record once again with a throw of 12.35m. But the best was saved until the last throw of the round as the formidable Malkamaki improved upon her world record set two rounds earlier with a toss of 14.06m.
There was no change in round five as Robinson unleashed an 11.59m effort but gave a little shake of the head of dissatisfaction but with a medal already in her pocket by the time she stepped in the circle for round six, the Kiwi fired the implement out to her best of the day, registering 11.88m.
Under the long-time coaching guidance of Raylene Bates, who is serving as NZ Paralympic Team Chef de Mission at Paris 2024, Robinson said: “I have mixed emotions. I’m super stoked to be on the podium again for what isn’t my preferred event but a little bit disappointed with the distance I threw because I know I am capable of much more.
“I was consistent but probably not as consistent with where I wanted to be. I had a bit of a timing issue but I loved being there with heaps of family and friends watching, that made it special. I am super proud to wear the fern and be at my fourth Paralympics.”
On the defence of her Women’s Javelin F46 title on Saturday morning (NZT) she said: “It’s a tough field, I would say the best ever field we’ve had for a long time, so it’s going to take it all to click for me to win a medal but I’m here for it and can’t wait.”
A trio of Kiwi athletes were in road Para cycling action with Paralympian #222 Nicole Murray, the bronze medallist in the Women’s C5 Individual Pursuit on the track, the pick of them producing a highly commendable effort to place fourth in the Women’s C5 Individual Time Trial, clocking a time of 21:46.26.
Taking on the 14.1km distance at Clichy-sous-Bois the 31-year-old hit the first split at 5.8km – a little under four seconds off provisional bronze – but for the remainder of the route she could not quite climb into the podium picture.
Ahead of Murray, Great Britain’s Dame Sarah Storey claimed a remarkable 18th Paralympic gold medal, clocking 20:22.15 to snatch a narrow win by just 4.69 from home favourite Heidi Gaugain of France. Alana Forster of Australia grabbed bronze in a time of 21:00.48.
Murray said: “I would have liked to have been one level up but overall I’m happy with my placing considering who I was up against. Those girls are really strong with good endurance. The course was real fun. I liked the technical aspect and quick downhills and having a few climbs in there worked in my favour as well. Honestly, I don’t want to undersell myself but fourth was as good as I probably could have hoped for today.”
Murray will conclude her schedule at Paris 2024 by competing in the Women’s C4-5 Road Race on Friday (6 September) NZT.
US-based Kiwi Paralympian #221 Rory Mead matched his performance at Tokyo 2020 by placing fifth in the Men’s H2 Time Trial. The 37-year-old hand cyclist went through the 5.8km checkpoint in fourth but slipped back a place in the later stages, registering a time of 29:22.41.
Sergio Garrote Munoz of Spain claimed back-to-back Paralympic gold medals, recording a slick 24:33.71. Luca Mazzone of Italy (25:18.83) and Florian Jouanny of France (25:19.29) were the other podium dwellers.
Mead said: “The course was tough in multiple ways there was a bunch of fast turns and a couple of quite steep climbs. I really enjoyed the course but as soon as I took off, I felt a little flat and just found it hard to hard to tap into that overdrive. I didn’t have it today. I am a little disappointed I just felt like I should have more.”
Mead returns to compete on day eight of competition on Thursday (5 September) in the Men’s H1-2 Road Race.
Paralympian #225 Anna Taylor, who was the first medallist for the NZ Paralympic Team at Paris 2024 with silver in the Women’s C4 3000m Individual Pursuit on day two, climaxed her campaign in the French capital by placing seventh in the Women’s C4 Individual Time Trial.
The 33-year-old Cambridge-based rider clocked a time of 23:48.67 as Samantha Bosco of the USA took gold with a time of 21:39.24 – just 4.92 ahead of Meg Lemon of Australia in silver. The podium was rounded out by Franziska Matile-Doerig of Switzerland (21:44.33).
Anna Taylor said: “I took a couple of days to recover after the velodrome. There was lots of excitement and nerves and adrenaline and there was a bit of a comedown, but I got back into race mode. Today was a mixed bag. I’m new to time trialling, physiologically I’m not really suited to it, but aIl I wanted was to really give it a good shot. I’ve made some improvements, I don’t think it was my best ride, but it also wasn’t a bad one.”
Paralympic debutant Louise Duncan alongside her mount Showcase BC can be proud of her efforts as the Levin-based hairdresser placed 13th In the Dressage Individual Grade IV Para Grand Prix Test with a total score of 64.945%. Generally scoring in the upper six range for the first half of the performance she was marked down for some slight mistakes in the second half and did not secure a top eight berth to secure a spot in the Freestyle Grand Prix event on Saturday (7 September).
An emotional Duncan talking on the day of her late grandfather’s birthday said: “Showcase really did me proud he loved being out there and receiving all the messages of support from everyone at home made me so proud to be out there representing New Zealand.
“The atmosphere here is electric and the vibe you get when you walk into the arena, you just can’t describe it. It was such an amazing moment to have finished and have the whole grandstand clapping and supporting. To have been able to experience this is a huge honour.”
Six-time Paralympian #148 Michael Johnson wrapped up his competitive campaign at Paris 2024 by finishing 19th in qualification for the R9 Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH2 with a total score of 616.8pts. The 50-year-old from Waiuku missed out on a top eight spot in the final but was nonetheless satisfied with his all round efforts at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre highlighted by a fifth-place in the R4 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Standing SH2.
“My performance today was not too bad considering yesterday I tested positive for Covid and I wasn’t sure if I was going to compete,” said Johnson. “Thankfully, today I felt okay, I was on the mend. My score of 616 was alright I had a lot of high tens but a lot of low 10s and nines which brought my score down.”
On his overall performance at Paris 2024 he said: “I’m pretty happy. I made a final and placed fifth in my R4. It could have been even better had I not hit that nine (in the R4 final) and I had a strong finish in the R9. There is plenty of life in me yet.”
Five NZ Paralympic Team athletes compete on day eight (Thursday-Friday 5-6 September) of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. A trio of Para swimmers compete in heats looking to navigate a route through to the final later that day led by Paralympian #201 Tupou Neiufi who will look to make up for the disappointment of missing out on a final place in the Women’s 100m Backstroke S8 in the Women’s 50m Freestyle S8. Lili-Fox Mason and Gaby Smith also compete in the Women’s 400m Freestyle S10.
Hand cyclist Mead returns to compete in the Men’s H1-2 road race and Shooting Para sport exponent Paralympian #204 Greg Reid concludes his Paris 2024 quest in the R6 Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH1. Qualification and finals take place on the same day.
For a full guide of when to watch the Kiwis and other Paris 2024 related information go here.
