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The unofficial Mayor of the Aussie Village, Grant ‘Scooter’ Patterson, and his good mate Ahmed Kelly, shared the podium after a thrilling SM3 150m individual medley, one of several highlights on Day 4 of the swimming program at the Paris Paralympics.
Kelly, after earlier being disqualified and then reinstated after an error in officiating during heats, was quick to shrug off the drama and take silver in a time of 3:02.16, while Scooter took the bronze in 3:06.94.
Kelly reflected on both the events of the day as well as his Tokyo performance, reaffirming his quest for gold.
“All athletes want to aim for high and that’s exactly what I did,” he said.
“I’ve been working for the last three years for that gold, for redemption from Tokyo silver, but silver’s still a silver, the day has been quite challenging. To get that DQ was a huge surprise, I didn’t find out until the network told me.
“Once the decision was overturned it was all full focus for that final tonight. It definitely did not impact that race at all, I gave it everything I had.”
Scooter was pleased with being able to defend his bronze from Tokyo, saying that he just hoped to inspire the next generation.
“To do that – not only with my dwarfism and diastrophic dysplasia – I don’t know of anyone like me around the world that does this. I’m just pursuing these dreams and goals to try and inspire and motivate someone else like me to come out and do it, hopefully, maybe for Brisbane 2032,” he said.
Earlier, the much anticipated men’s S10 100m freestyle showdown between Rowan Crothers and Tom Gallagher was won, in fact, by Italian Stefano Raimondi, with Crothers taking silver and Gallagher bronze. There was only 0.46 seconds between gold and bronze.
Crothers was a little disappointed with the swim, saying he was capable of a lot better after being edged out for gold by Stefano Raimondi of Italy, swimming a time of 51.55.
“I’d say today’s not my day,” Crothers said. “It’s still a silver medal so it’s hard to be too unhappy about that, but everything I’ve been doing in training reflects the ability for me to go a lot faster than 51 mid.
“This morning I went around the same time and it felt easy as pie, so for that to not translate into a faster swim in the final, it’s a little disappointing.”
Gallagher was delighted to be able to back up his gold in the S10 50m freestyle from the first night, pulling out a personal best time to secure the bronze.
“I’m definitely more the 50 guy, so I’m today I just went out there and did my best and I’m bloody stoked with bronze.
“To be there again with Rowan just shows I suppose the Australian sprinting men in the S10 are the strongest in the world.”
Alex Saffy also swam a personal best time of 54.55 to finish seventh.
In the final race of the night, the S14 mixed 4x100m freestyle relay, the underrated Aussies took it to Great Britain in a small field, picking up the silver in 3:46.37, rounding out an incredible night for the Aussies.
Tomorrow’s schedule includes Chloe Osborn and Holly Warn in the S7 400m freestyle, Ahmed Kelly in the S3 50m backstroke, Jake Michel in the S14 100m breaststroke, Paige Leonhardt and Ruby Storm in the S14 100m breaststroke, Katja Dedekind in the S13 50m freestyle and the 34 point mixed 4x100m individual medley relay.
Watch the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on the 9Network and 9Now live and free, and on Stan Sport till September 8
By: Jodie Hawkins, Paralympics Australia
