ParalympicsGB Day eight review/day nine preview
ParalympicsGB’s sprint canoeists were the dominant force on the water on Thursday as they powered their way to five podium finishes – representing over a third of the 12 British medals picked up on day eight.
Jeanette Chippington kicked things off by winning the first ever para-canoe gold medal in the KL1 final before Emma Wiggs (KL2) and Anne Dickins (KL3) added further titles with bronze also going the way of Ian Marsden (KL1) and Nick Beighton (KL2).
Sophie Christiansen (Photo: onEdition)
It also proved to be a successful day of equestrian action with Natasha Baker taking dressage Grade II gold while Sophie Christiansen led a British one-two ahead of Anne Dunham in the Grade Ia test.
Charlotte Henshaw took 100m breaststroke SB6 bronze in the pool while Richard Whitehead (100m T42) and the women’s 4x100m T35-38 relay squad of Kadeena Cox, Maria Lyle, Georgina Hermitage and Sophie Hahn then doubled the athletics silver tally for the night in a new British record.
Sophie Hahn, Georgina Hermitage, Maria Lyle and Kadeena Cox (Photo: onEdition)
The quartet had already won five gold and two bronzes between them in Rio but, despite clocking 51.07, were unable to get the better of China who set a new world record 50.81 for gold.
And there was also a silver on the court with wheelchair tennis players Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid losing 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 to French doubles pairing Stephane Houdet and Nicolas Peifer in the final.
On Friday, Hannah Cockroft is looking to compete a gold medal hat-trick as she goes over an unfamiliar distance in the women’s 800m T34 final while Dan Greaves, who has won medals at four consecutive Games, will be looking to regain his Paralympic title won 12 years ago in the F44 discus final.
It’s a busy day at the pool with Michael Jones, Susie Rodgers, Hannah Russell, Stephanie Millward – all already gold medallists – in action in the penultimate day of swimming.
Velodrome star Megan Giglia aims for another gold in the women’s C1-2-3 road race, having finished fourth at last year’s World Championship in the event. Also in action will be David Stone and Hannah Dines in the men’s and women’s T1-2.
Gordon Reid and Alfie Hewett will contest an all ParalympicsGB showdown for men’s singles gold at the wheelchair tennis, having combined to win men’s doubles silver on Thursday.
ParlympicsGB women’s wheelchair basketball team look to rebound from their semi-final defeat to the United States when they play the Netherlands for bronze – which would be their first-ever medal at the Games.
And Will Bayley, Ross Wilson and Aaron McKibbin will also be seeking a class 6-8 team table tennis bronze against China after losing their semi-final with Ukraine.
David Smith is brimming with confidence as he seeks to upgrade his London 2012 silver in the men’s BC1 boccia final while John Walker, John Cavanagh and Jodie Grinham are competing in the men’s and women’s individual archery competitions at the Sambodromo.
Sailing continues in the Paralympic regatta with the final action before Saturday’s double points medal race while ParalympicsGB take on Brazil in their final wheelchair rugby group match, having suffered narrow defeats to defending champions Australia and top seeds Canada.
Report courtesy of ParalympicsGB
