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The track and field team began contributing to Australia’s medal tally adding a silver for middle distance runner Michael Roeger and a bronze for wheelchair racer Madison de Rozario on a day of drama at the Stade de France.
Celebrations over the first athletics medals for the Paris 2024 Games was tinged with disappointment for teammate Jaryd Clifford and guides Matt Clarke and Tim Logan, who were disqualified from the T13 5000m for vision-impaired athletes after finishing in the bronze medal position.
An error in releasing the tether, binding Clifford and Clarke, just prior to crossing the finish line was a breach of IPC (International Paralympic Committee) rules. Logan is tethered with Clifford for the first 2000m and then Clarke took over to maintain the pace over the last 3000m.
“Jaryd needs guides to run these distances competitively, but it creates more margin for error and unfortunately today was a realisation of that,” a statement from the Australian athletics team management said.
“He has the 1500m on his program (Tuesday) and we know he will be putting all the energy and disappointment into that performance.”
Clifford said it was “pretty shattering” after he had battled various injuries since his three medals (two silvers, a bronze) at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
“Whatever happens I feel like it’s my fourth Paralympic medal anyway and I’m still chasing a gold,” he said. “I’m hoping I can shrug it off as quick as I can before Tuesday.”
In the very next race de Rozario found herself in a false start situation after a crash behind her, just 80 metres into the women’s 5000m T54 final.
“When that first start happened it all came together perfectly then I heard the gun go again and they called me back. I wasn’t sure if I could replicate it (restart) but I was able to line up and bring the nerves back to where they needed to be,” she said.
“We were going to leave it (track) after Tokyo and step away but then we thought with the 1500m and 5000m we’d give it one more crack. We analysed everything about my racing the biggest flaw we found was my start … that first acceleration and being able to hold that speed.
“I’m really happy with that today and I’m hoping it’s the same in a couple of days (1500m on Monday). So I’m glad we kept the track program and that I brought my track suit with me (medal ceremony).”
The bronze was de Rozario’s seventh Paralympic medal (two gold, three silver, two bronze) from five Games with still the promise of more to come in Paris – the 1500m (bronze in Tokyo) and the marathon (gold in Tokyo).
Roeger, who set the 1500m T46 World Record for arm amputees in 2017 in Sydney, is also at his fifth Paralympics but he’s had a much longer wait between success. His previous and only medal was bronze in this event in Rio 2016.
He was five metres clear of the field with just under two laps to go and 10 metres with one lap. But then NPA (Neutral Paralympic Athlete) Aleksandr Iaremchuk (3:50.24s) had a burst of speed and passed Roeger (3:51.19) in the straight.
“Oh boy, that last 50 metres was tough. Thankfully I did enough early so only one fella caught me,” he said.
“The dream is still to stand on top of that podium … second is tough but I’m bloody proud how we’ve gone the last three years. I’m a marathon runner who’s had to come down to three, or four laps.
“It’s such a tough sport – everyone wants that gold and now I know what it’s like to play at the MCG because that crowd was amazing, truly amazing. We had a French guy in our class … the noise…
“I didn’t die wondering. I left it all out there and just came up short.”
It is Roeger’s only event in Paris after the marathon for his T46 class was dropped from the Paris program. But he said he planned on being back for Los Angeles in 2028.
“I’m at my fifth Games and feel like I’m getting better. So as long as I’m competitive and as long as I’m enjoying it, I’ll keep going.”
That is the sentiment for long jumper Sarah Walsh, who finished eighth in the final of her T64 amputee class.
“I would have liked to leap a bit further and place higher but I’m at my third Paralympic Games and I think that’s pretty incredible. I was just this little kid who had a dream of going to a Paralympics and here I am at my third. I don’t want to stop that dream.
“It’s very special (after no spectators at Tokyo) to have family and friends in the stands cheering for you. The crowd and energy here is phenomenal. I walked out and immediately goose bumps.”
Others to use the volume inside the Stade de France were sprinters Ella Pardy and Rhiannon Clarke in the women’s 100m (T38). Pardy ran a season-best 13.15s but missed out on the final.
Clarke ran two personal-best times in the space of seven hours to finish fourth in the final, or just 0.19s from the podium.
“I’ll definitely take that. I woke up knowing I had to do a job but the heat time got me a bit excited,” she said.
“After Tokyo (fifth in 100m, seventh in 400m) I wasn’t pleased with the results and felt out of love a bit with the sport. But I’ve been working really well with (coach) Danny (Kevan) and I’ve learnt so much.
“This gives me a lot of confidence moving forward. I’m still one of the youngest (22) out there.”
Debutant sprinter Mali Lovell, who is coached by Katie Edwards and three-time Olympian Melinda Gainsford-Taylor, finished with the third fastest heat time (30.08s) to qualify for Sunday’s final.
“I’ve had a really good run-up to Paris so if I can bring home a medal for Australia that would be my dream,” Lovell, 20, said.
The second debutant from the eight athletes in Day 2 action – shot put thrower Ella Hose – seems to have ‘a thing’ about Paris. She was fourth here at the 2023 World Championships and now fourth again in her F37 class.
“Tell me about it … to be honest I wasn’t thinking about placings. I was just so happy to be here because I’m only 19 and these are my first Games. It’s all about the experience and showing me what I might be able to do.”
Coached by John Eden, who has a long list of Paralympic medallists to his name, Hose threw a personal best 11.25m.
“I knew I had it in me. I really enjoyed it out there and didn’t want it to end. But I’ve got to thank John because he’s been so brilliant with me and gave me amazing gym programs. He’s the reason I’ve done so well over the past year.”
Australian results Day 2 Para-athletics
MEN
5000m T13 Final: Jaryd Clifford DQ (15min:55.05sec)
1500m T46 Final: Michael Roeger, Silver (3m:51.19)
WOMEN
5000m T54 Final: Madison de Rozario, Bronze (11m:10.20)
Long Jump T64 Final: Sarah Walsh, 8th (4.88m)
100m T38: Ella Pardy, Heat 1, 6th (13.15s) 12th overall; Rhiannon Clarke Heat 2, 4th (12.78); Final, 4th (12.72s)
Shot Put F37 Final: Ella Hose, 4th 11.25m
Women’s 200m T36: Mali Lovell, Heat 1 2nd (30.08s). Qualified for final.
By: Margie McDonald, Paralympics Australia
