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Gutsy Clifford Wins Silver, Turner Breezes Into 400m Final

Gutsy Clifford Wins Silver, Turner Breezes Into 400m Final
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Three-time Paralympic medallist Jaryd Clifford battled through the pain of a secret injury to courageously win a silver medal in the 5000m T13 on Day 2 of the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships in Paris.

Clifford revealed he had a stress fracture in his left femur which had severely impacted his preparation.

“The last week was pretty stressful choosing whether I take the risk with next year being the Paralympics, or whether I push through it,” Clifford said, adding that he didn’t run for two weeks prior to the Championships.

“I had to leave it until the last lap. I didn’t know if I was still fit or what the go was.”

Battling through a tightly-packed field, Clifford burst to the lead down the back straight of the bell lap before Paralympic rival Yassine Ouhdadi El Ataby of Spain mustered one last reply. Clifford crossed in 15:18.23; defeated but proud.

“Running in the green and gold has been a dream of mine since I was a kid,” he said. “All my heroes cherish the green and gold and I’ve seen my teammates miss out on World Championships before.

“I’m still here and proud to put on the singlet again and to stand on that podium means a lot. I’m still shooting for that gold next year.”

Madison de Rozario’s return to track racing faltered when she didn’t complete the 5000m T54, though she was reported to be healthy after the event and is listed to race the 800m T53 on Day 3.

Sarah Walsh finished in fifth place in the Long Jump T64, leaping 4.84m (+0.2) to finish in the top half of the field. The event was won by double-leg amputee Fleur Jong of The Netherlands with a championship record of 6.28m.

Australia’s second youngest team member, 18-year-old Ella Hose threw her way to fourth place at her international debut, recording a result of 10.01m in the Shot Put F37, while Samuel Rizzo raced to 10th place in the 5000m T54 in a time of 10:25.36.

Five-time Paralympic champion Evan O’Hanlon took eighth place in the 100m T38 with a performance of 11.41 (-0.2).

Watch the World Para Athletics World Championships live on 9Now.

Action on Day 3 features James Turner who looked strong in qualifying for the 400m T36 Final.

“The race plan was to take it hard for the first 200m, then pretty hard around the last bend and ease off for straight because I’ve got the final coming up,” Turner said.

Rheed McCracken will race the 400m T34 Final which includes world record holder Walid Ktila from Tunisia.

Mother of four Sarah Edmiston will need to throw close to her Oceania record of 39.13m if she is to add medal number four to her collection in the Discus F64 at her third World Championships.

Training partners Rhiannon Clarke and Ella Pardy are both in the 100m T38 Final, where they will face a classy field which includes Paralympic gold medallist Sophie Hahn of Great Britain. Pardy is in career-best form, clocking a new lifetime best of 12.96 earlier this year.

In the Women’s 800m T53, reigning Paralympic champion de Rozario and Team co-captain Angie Ballard make up two of the five-person field. Ballard will officially become Australia’s most capped athlete at a World Para Athletics Championships, with nine appearances.

Dayna Crees makes her Australian team debut in the Javelin F34 Final, while sprinter Chad Perris, wheelchair racers Sam Carter and Luke Bailey, and debutants Mali Lovell and Abby Craswell all open their account.

Read: Day 1 Wrap – ‘Flying’ Strong Strikes Gold, De Rozario Set For Track Return

By: Athletics Australia and Paralympics Australia
Posted: 11 July 2023