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The home stretch into the Paris Paralympic Games begins now for Australia’s elite Para-swimmers after strong performances at the World Championships in Manchester earned the team sixth place on the medal table.
Rising star Alexa Leary and three-time world champion Ben Hance won medals on the final night to bring Australia’s total to 30, including nine gold, seven silver and 14 bronze.
Powerhouse Italy was the most successful nation for the third consecutive championships, with 26 gold medals, ahead of Ukraine, China, Brazil and Great Britain. Medals were won by 39 nations. Australia finished ahead of Canada, Spain, the Netherlands, the US, Germany and France.
Among the winners for Australia were Rowan Crothers, who claimed the 50m and 100m Freestyle S10 double, Tim Hodge, who maintained his dominance in the 200m Medley S9 and Katja Dedekind, who retained her 50m Freestyle S13 world title.
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Lakeisha Patterson re-established her authority in the 400m Freestyle S9, Ahmed Kelly captured an elusive gold in the 150m Individual Medley S3 and Australia’s Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay S14 team won their race in world record time.
Australia’s other gold medals were won by Leary, who announced herself on the world scene in the 100m Freestyle S9 and Hance, who prevailed in the 100m Backstroke S14 which he also won at last year’s world championships and at the Tokyo Games.
Leary added silver in the 50m Freestyle on the last night of competition and Hance took bronze in the
“It was a solid meet, can’t complain at all,” said Hance, who finished with two gold medals, a silver and a bronze.
“I really want to do a good 100 freestyle in that relay, I want to continue butterfly as well – I have unfinished business in butterfly – and backstroke, just continue what I’m doing there.”
Gold for 🇧🇷! 🎉
— #ParaSwimming (@Para_swimming) August 6, 2023
🥇Gabriel Bandeira grabs his second medal at #Manchester2023, the first gold, in the men’s 100m butterfly S14⌚️54.64
🥈Alexander Hillhouse 🇩🇰
🥉Benjamin Hance 🇦🇺
🔴 LIVE: https://t.co/w24SWkJyae
📊 Schedule & results: https://t.co/fh5rQnRqsV pic.twitter.com/q46afm2mGi
Leary was buoyed by her first championship experience, saying, “I know I’ll get even better.”
“It was awesome. I loved all the athletes and everyone with me. We were just having a lot of fun and we all supported each other. That was the biggest thing. It inspired me.”
In other final session performances, Jasmine Greenwood finished seventh in the Women’s 100m Backstroke S10, Col Pearse swam a personal best of 1:03.46 in the Men’s 100m Backstroke S10 to take fifth and Kelly came seventh in the Men’s 100m Freestyle S3 in a personal best time of 1:52.11.
Emily Beecroft clocked 29.37 to finish just outside the medals in the Women’s 50m Freestyle S9 that was won by Leary. And Paige Leonhardt and Ruby Storm swam their hearts out after a long week of competition, finishing sixth and seventh, respectively, in the Women’s 100m Butterfly S14.
Earlier, Hodge was disqualified for an infraction in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke SB8.
Day 1 Wrap: Sprint King Crothers Fires First Shot For Australia
Day 2 Wrap: Aussie Team Favourite Finally On Top Of The World
Day 3 Wrap: ‘Cobweb Swim’ Jags A Bonus Medal For Dedekind
Day 4 Wrap: ‘Miracle’ Swimmer Bursts Onto The Scene With World Championships Gold
Day 5 Wrap: Golden Duo Bounce Back In Style
Day 6 Wrap: World Record Redemption For Medley Team
By: David Sygall, Paralympics Australia
Posted: 7 August 2023
