Alfie Linn wins silver medal
- Table tennis player Alfie Linn has claimed a second medal – silver – at the Virtus Global Games.
- Virtus is for elite athletes with intellectual impairment.
- The NZ delegation of 10 swimmers, 1 athletics athlete and Alfie Linn competing in table tennis are in Vichy, France for the Global Games.
Table tennis player Alfie Linn (II2) has claimed silver at the Virtus Global Games. In the Men’s Teams event, Alfie with French teammate Alexandre Sol contested an exciting match to win the medal. Through a series of close games, they defeated Egypt and France/Macau teams, conceding in the end to an all-French pairing of Jean Bachevillier / Cedric Courrillaud.
“Thank you very much everyone for being in support of me, and thank to Alexandre for being a great table tennis partner. We rock!”
Alfie Linn
With competition at the Global Games now complete, Alfie can be proud to have won both of New Zealand’s medals. His first medal was a bronze, also with Alexandre Sol in the Men’s Doubles.
All the Virtus athletes have had to show resolve, focus and determination, competing hard through a long week in hot temperatures, making Alfie’s achievement even more remarkable.
Results from the rest of the NZ Delegation
Long jumper Joshua Lush competed in the II1 final, placing 4th with a jump of 6m31. Returning from injury, Joshua was uncertain of even being able to compete, making a dramatic turnaround for what he describes as a “monster week”.
In the pool 14-year-old Rylee Sayer slashed two NZ Open Records in the II1 Women’s 200m Breaststroke in a time of 3:58.78 and the II1 Women’s 400m Freestyle with a time of 5:34.92.
Swim Team Manager Robyn Conlon shares the moment:
“Rylee bought her teammates to their feet as they cheered her to the finish. Her smile spoke volumes as she exited the pool. She has trained so hard. It paid off on our final day of racing.”
Lance Dustow made it to the II3 Men’s 100m backstroke, shaving almost 2 seconds off his heat time and placing 5th. His II3 Men’s 400m Freestyle race saw him place 10th.
Melissa Donoghue placed 12th in the Women’s backstroke and 8th in the 400m Freestyle.
Robyn Conlon explains:
“Melissa held off some stiff competition in both of her races, paced herself well, and had enough in the tank to power her way to the finish. Dynamite definitely does come in small packages when Melissa hits the water.”
Due to a medical event Genevieve Watson had to withdraw from the II3 Women’s 400m Freestyle after placing second in the II3 Women’s Breaststroke heat. She was unable to compete in the 200m Breaststroke final.
Jack Bugler placed 16th in the II1 Men’s 400m race. Tate Pichon rounded out his Virtus Global Games 2023 with a one hundredth of a second PB in the II3 Men’s 400m Freestyle finishing in 8th.
