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Day 3 Wrap: Plenty Of Aussies In Action As Competition And Temperature Heats Up

Day 3 Wrap: Plenty Of Aussies In Action As Competition And Temperature Heats Up
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There were 12 sports in action across Day 3 of the Tokyo Paralympic Games with the competition firing up across the city for many athletes as they edged closer to medal matches.

There were more heroics at the cycling track with Amanda Reid smashing the 500m time trial C1-3 at Izu Velodrome to take home gold.

A proud Wemba Wemba and Guring-gai woman, Reid said she was so happy to be riding for her mob in Tokyo.

“I hope to inspire more indigenous kids with disabilities. In Australia to start a sport and achieve their dreams like I have.”

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Alistair Donahoe picked up a silver medal in the 4000m individual pursuit C5 after posting a PB as one of five riders to beat the previous world record set by Australian Michael Gallagher in 2014.

“This morning was amazing,” said Donohoe. “I think I was super super nervous and excited going into it not knowing exactly what I could deliver but seeing the red hot times that were coming through, as we were getting close it really pushed me.”

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Gordon Allan made his Paralympic Games debut placing fifth in the Men’s Kilometre Time Trial C1-3 and while he has been on the podium in the C2 event at the last two World Championships, says he’s up for the challenge of getting back onto the dias again.

“Definitely it’s going to be case of go home, have a few weeks off and then get back into it,” he said. “Paris is in a few years and I’ve got a taste for the Paralympic Games and I just want to do it again.”

The Tokyo heat also made its presence known as temperatures nudged the high 30’s and the humidity caused the delay of the Wheelchair Tennis.

Play on outdoor courts was suspended until 5pm, with Australian representatives in the Men’s Singles forced to wait over six hours before play.

Debutant Martyn Dunn and five-time Paralympian Ben Weekes were the first two Aussies to compete in the tournament once play began, with Dunn going down 6-0, 6-0 to Argentina’s Ezequiel Casco while Weekes beat Israel’s Adam Berdichevsky 6-4, 6-2.

“My nerves were all over the shop,” said Dunn. “I was mentally ready to go at 11 o’clock but, you know, you can’t control that .. I was just beaten by the better player and that’s all there was to it.”

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There were two bronze medals again at the Para-Swimming with with dual Paralympians Tiffany Thomas Kane and Katja Dedekind adding to the Aussie’s medal tally.

Thomas Kane endured a gruelling Women’s 200m Individual Medley SM7 to claim her medal while Katja Dedekind showed her grit and determination in the women’s 100m Backstroke S13 to land her second medal of the meet.

After rupturing her liver earlier in the year, Thomas Kane said just being in Tokyo was a feat and to make the dais was just an incredible feeling.

“It was kind of a shock for me, I had an injury this year where I ruptured my liver so even getting to the Games, I didn’t think was a possibility because I had so much time out of the water and the Games and Trials was so close,” she said.

“I thought I might not even make the team. But I’m here today with a bronze medal – I can’t believe it.”

Six other swimmers featured on the Day 3 Finals program with 15 year old Isabella Vincent claiming 7th spot in the 200m Individual Medley SM7, Jesse Aungles placing fourth in the Men’s 100m Backstroke S8, Liam Schluter (fourth) and Ricky Betar (seventh) in the Men’s 200m Freestyle S14, Ruby Storm finishing seventh in the Women’s 200m Freestyle S14 and Braedan Jason placing a highly commendable fourth in the Men’s 400m Freestyle S13.

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Australian sprinter Isis Holt broke her own world record when she claimed back-to-back Paralympic Games silver medals in the 100m (T35) at Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium to kick off the Australian Para-Athletics teams meet.

Australia almost snared a second athletics medal on Friday in the men’s javelin (F38) with Corey Anderson – 2019 world champion, and Jayden Sawyer 2017 world champion – competing.

Anderson sat in the bronze medal position until the sixth and final round of the competition when the Ukraine’s Vladyslav Bilyi stepped up to take silver and push everyone down a spot.

In other events on Friday, Sam McIntosh finished 5th in his 400m (T52) heat in 1m:07.97, while Australia’s youngest athlete in track-field, 16-year-old Jaydon Page finished fifth in his heat and 10th overall in the 100m (T47). The day ended on a high with the only Australian competing tonight – Paralympic Games rookie Alissa Jordaan finishing 4th in her heat of the 400m (T47) in a season best 1.00.78s to force her way into Saturday night’s final.

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Australia is guaranteed of four medals in the Para-Table Tennis as the Aussies stormed their way through day 3 of the tournament.

Ma Lin and Sam von Einem will look to add to their swag of previous Paralympic medals as they both clinched a spot in their class semi-finals. And while Ma Lin kept his winning record spotless, von Einem had a slightly tougher battle on his hands.

“I started off a bit nervous in the first set, but then I settled into the match and a good start in the second game was what I needed. That carried on into the third set and really took off into the fourth,” von Einem said.

The two Aussies join teammate Li Na Lei, who had already qualified for the semi-final round in the women’s Class 9 and in heartbreaking fashion for the fans of the green and gold Qian Yang and Milly Tapper were drawn against each other to make up an all-Australian quarter-final.

Earlier in the day Jake Ballestrino, Trevor Hirth and Joel Coughlan lost their last preliminary-phase matches and did not qualify for the next stages.

The Men’s Wheelchair Basketball team continued its dominant start to the tournament with an 83-37 win over Algeria at Musashino Forest Sport Plaza.

“It’s another good win. Usually we start pretty slow at these tournaments and have to pick up our groove. But all 12 of us are playing really well, shooting the ball well, moving well,” said Tom O’Neill-Thorne.

Australia’s Para-archery team had a solid first day on the range with Jonathon Milne (692), Imalia Oktrininda (564), Taymon Kenton-Smith (604) and Peter Marchant (664) all in action.

“I’m just going to try to enjoy myself, I don’t have a lot of international experience, this is only my second international competition and being one of the 24 who made the recurve open is already an amazing achievement,” said Oktrininda.

Wayne Phipps, Australia’s first Para-Judo competitor since 2008, took to the tatami at Nippon Budokan and while the result didn’t go his way, Phipps remains proud and thankful for the opportunity to become a Paralympian.

“I think the moment we stepped out into the real competition venue, I think it hits home that this is it. It’s still sinking in,” he said.

The Australian Para-rowers started their campaign today at Sea Forest Waterway with all three set to row in tomorrow’s repechage.

While they faced some tricky conditions created by a strong head wind and warm temperatures it was nothing they hadn’t already prepared for having done their research prior to departure.

London 2012 and Rio 2016 silver medallist Erik Horrie came second in his heat with the fifth fastest time in the PR1 Men’s Single Sculls, while the PR2 Mixed Double Sculls and the PR3 Mixed Coxed Four also progressed to the repechage.

PR3 Mixed Coxed Four coach Elizabeth Chapman said that the crews performed to expectation and were looking forward to another race at the course tomorrow.

“Satisfaction of a job well down, that’s what they said,” she said when asked how the crew responded post race. “Job done, now we crank it up a notch for the next one.”

The Aussie Women’s Goalball team produced a stoic performance against a powerful China side in their second game at Tokyo 2020, eventually succumbing after being in the hunt until after half time.

The Belles went down 6-0 after trailing 1-0 at the main break, posting a much improved performance.

“Even though we’ve had two losses so far, that by no means is going to affect our spirit. It’s just going to make us come back harder and stronger as we go into our next fight,” said Brodie Smith.

The Steelers have snuck into the semi-finals at Tokyo on a count back despite their second loss from three matches on Friday against Japan. Despite going down to the host nation 57-53, a 1 point positive try differential will see the Aussies take on the USA tomorrow in the semi final.

“Japan played fantastic. They came out and were a lot more fierce than we were. We weren’t our usual selves,” said captain Ryley Batt after the game.

“We should have been more fierce, but unfortunately we just didn’t come out as hungry as we needed to be. That’s mainly because we were already assured of a semi-final berth and it didn’t really matter who we were playing. That’s probably the wrong mentality but it is what it is and we’ll be hungrier tomorrow.”

Over at the Equestrian only one Australian was in action with dual Paralympian Emma Booth placing eighth in the Grade III Individual Test.

Watch the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games live and free on Seven and 7plus from August 24 – September 5.

The Australian Paralympic Team Medal Tally is currently:

GOLD: 7
SILVER: 4
BRONZE: 8

You can watch day four action tomorrow on Channel 7 and 7Plus.

Australians will contest triathlon, goalball, swimming, rowing, wheelchair basketball (women’s and men’s), archery, table tennis, athletics and wheelchair tennis.