Disability Sport Wales
Chwaraeon Anabledd Cymru

BEIJING PARALYMPICS BLOG DAY 3

All eyes were on the Laoshan Velodrome as Day Three promised to deliver a host of medal opportunities for Welsh athletes. The athletes didn’t disappoint.

Having smashed the World Record in his morning heat, Simon Richardson, Porthcawl, continued his winning ways by cruising to Gold in the 1km Pursuit. The icing on the cake was his second World Record of the day, by crossing the line in 3:48.00.

Welsh based rider, Jody Cundy continued the Cycling Gold Rush for Team GB by smashing his own World Record by Three seconds and taking Gold in the LC2 Individual Pursuit.

Just when it couldn’t get any better, Ellen Hunter and Aileen McGlynn completed a Welsh hat-trick by beating the Aussies in the Visually Impaired Tandem 3000m Pursuit.

Elsewhere, Nyree Lewis (originally from Porth, Rhondda) took a silver medal in the S6 100m Backstroke. Having broken the Paralympic Record in the morning heats, and being the current World Record holder in the event, she was pipped for Gold, and losing her Paralympic Record to Dutch swimmer Mirjam de Koning-Peper.

James Roberts, Swansea, and Northern Irish partner Karen Cromie were forced to go forward to the reperchage tomorrow after finishing 3rd behind World Champions Brazil and Italy. The pairing must win tomorrow to secure a berth in the final on Thursday.

Table Tennis saw further disappointment as our 4 Welsh players crashed out of the Round Robin. Paul Karabadark finished on a high by beating Lambert from the Czech Republic by 3 games to 1. The players will now look forward to the team event.

Pippa Britton, Newport, had solid a performance on the Archery Field in the Womens Compound to finish fifth, an unfortunate result that means only one of three British medal hopes can reach the final. Clarke and Britton will meet in the first elimination round with Danielle Brown playing the winner of that match in the semi-finals.

In the Sailing Stephen Thomas, Bridgend, in the 3-crew Sonar, will be looking to close the gap on the French leaders over the remaining six races, currently lying in 7th position the GB Boat a fair wind and a run of success to assert their undoubted quality on the rest of the field.

Caroline Matthews and Clare Strange flew the flag for Wales, as the Team GB Wheelchair Basketball team, as they destroyed Brazil 69 – 21.

On the football pitch, Bridgend born Blind footballer, Keryn Seal had a strong game helping the GB side to victory over Korea, final score 2 – 1.

In the Birds Nest, Nathan Stephens (Bridgend) continued to show why he is such a strong prospect for London 2012 by making the Senior Men’s final of the F57/58 Shot Putt. Meanwhile emerging athlete, Kate Arnold (Newport) was disappointed with going out in the first heat of the Women’s T46 100m sprint. Tracy Hinton consolidated her disappontment by winning the T11 100m B Final, placing her 6th overall.

By the end of Day Three, Welsh Athletes have secured 6 Gold Medals and 1 Silver.

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