After Sophie Wells’ grade IV win on Wednesday and Natasha Baker’s grade II win on Thursday morning, the quartet’s scores contributed to the team total and Britain’s unbeaten streak – dating from 1996 in European, world and Paralympic events – continued.
Advertisement
Hermitage’s Games concluded with two golds and a silver, while Cox has two golds – one in cycling, one in athletics – and a bronze.
“I just said to him when we were trotting around in the 10 minute spot ‘trust me, completely trust me, ‘ and he did”.
Lee Pearson proved a point – after being omitted from the team line-up – with an 11th Paralympic gold medal which saw him draw level with wheelchair racer Tanni Grey-Thompson and swimmer David Roberts.
It was a cloudy and blustery day nine of the Rio 2016 Paralympics, where 59 gold medals were won in events including women’s wheelchair basketball, men’s wheelchair tennis singles and athletics.
On Friday, Ruzhdi won his first Paralympic medal in the shot put, throwing 12.33m to smash his own world record and clinch the gold by nearly a meter’s margin.
“We came to these Games with a team of 264 of the best prepared athletes that Great Britain has ever produced, ready to take on the best in the world on the greatest stage we have”.
This brings Britain’s medal total from the Paralympic Games to 11, with six individual golds, four individual silvers and team gold.
The 29-year old investment banker and mathematics postgraduate from Sunningdale is good with numbers and her score of 78.217 on horse Athene Lindeberg was enough to beat ParalympicsGB team-mate Anne Dunham by almost four points.
“I’m just thrilled”, said Christiansen, who has cerebral palsy. If I’m honest I didn’t believe I could do it myself.
In a repeat of the team test earlier this week, Sophie Christiansen and Anne Dunham scored a one-two.
And, in the end, Great Britain missed out on final progress to Canada.
They were joined with an unbeatable lead by the Sonar trio of Colin Harrison, Russell Boaden and Jonathan Harris, who secured a gold medal of their own.
“I’m in love with my team”.
The 28-year-old from Berkshire said: “I’ve always wanted to do my best at everything I put my hand to – academics, sport”.
‘I’m aiming to sit on Sarah’s wheel for a bit and see if I can get pulled along, ‘ said Cox, ‘She might not appreciate it but if I can stick with her then I can stick with anyone’.
“It’s going to sound big-headed but I think you have to have more than talent to stay at the top”.
Tiring after the bend, 18-year-old Ciuksza was overtaken by Ukraine’s 2008 champion Roman Pavlyk for the silver medal and New Zealand’s William Stedman, 16, for the bronze. “My aim was to go home with a medal so I’m over the moon”.
Advertisement
Baker claimed Britain’s second equestrian gold medal of the Games.
