NEIL FACHIE’S thoughts will turn to speeches and vows after he completes his tour of duty in Rio today.
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The Paralympic Games have placed a device inside the medals that allow visually impaired athletes to identify which medal they have. The S4 classification of the event was won by Australian Rachel Watson who set a new Paralympic record of 40.13. “More severely disabled athletes from China have competed in Rio”. It has been a glorious journey for athletes Muhd Ridzuan Mohd Puzi, Abdul Latif Romly, Muhd Ziyad Zolkefli and Siti Noor Radiah, and we thank them for inspiring us with their grit and tenacity. The road is not their favoured terrain.
Six-time Paralympic champion Weir, who won four gold medals from four events, including the marathon, at London 2012, was third at the first time check in the T54 event, which Switzerland’s Marcel Hug won ahead of Kurt Fearnley of Australia.
“I had an injury, but managed to recover in time for the Games”. I’m never been jealous of anyone. But in Glasgow, the whole nation were saying we were gold medallists in waiting so you felt the weight of expectation.
Scotsman Reid overcame Hewett 6-2 6-1 to add the Paralympic title to the Wimbledon and Australian Open grand slams he won earlier this year. “The science of how a solo bike is quite advanced”, he admits.
“We now go in search of another cycle.
Obviously it’s devastating that a crash ruled him out of his final race at a Games, but undoubtedly he will be forever remembered for his four gold medals in London in 2012″. These Games, nearly inevitably, were going to be a poor replica.
“When people say I can’t train or can’t do exercise because I’ve got a child, that’s nonsense”, he said.
“Once I got up, I started pushing again, “toe in, toe out”, but my wheels had gone, so there was no point”. The hype was fantastic.
Besides the time trial, where Great Britain has two spots, if selected she would also take part in the road race, with Lizzie Armitstead looking to defend the title she won in Richmond, Virginia a year ago. Great Britain managed another Paralympic record of 144 in the Mixed Team W1 semifinal as they eliminated Czech Republic. You had to have security which is not my regular day.
“Yes, we have disabilities, but it’s not stopping us from being totally awesome”.
Maria Lyle reckons losing out to China in the 4×100 metres relay will fire the British women up to regain their top spot in the pecking order when the world championships come to London next summer.
Then Ricardinho, the star of Brazil’s gold medal winning five-a-side Paralympic football team, brought out the national flag.
Fearnley was not the only Australian athlete to be making their Paralympics farewell, with Evan O’Hanlon hanging up his spikes after he was denied a hat-trick of sprint gold medals.
She is now two gold medals behind swimmer Mike Kenny, who won 16 gold medals in his career.
She also claimed T38 100m bronze and T35-38 4x100m silver.
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Nearest challengers Britain also put on a great show with cyclist Dame Sarah Storey leading the way as they achieved their best medal haul, since Seoul 1988 on the final full day of action at Rio 2016.
