Keep up to date with your local athletes as they take on the world’s best at the London Paralympics.
10 September
Newcastle wheelchair racer Kurt Fearnley has vowed to race again in 2016 at the Rio games, after winning a bronze medal in the marathon overnight.
The Athens and Beijing champion was edged out by Britain’s David Weir and Switzerland’s Marcel Hug in a sprint finish.
” In the end I’m grateful to hold on to the Bronze, I don’t think I’ve ever worked harder for anything before in my life, that’s a hard fought bronze medal.” said Fearnley after the race.
” It hurt you know, I’m just ruined, I’m buggered mate, it was hard work.”
Fearnley finished the Paralympics with a 5000m silver and marathon bronze.
7 September
The Australian wheelchair rugby team’s medal hopes are still alive, after the side defeated Sweden in round two at the Paralympic Games overnight.
Port Macquarie’s Ryley Batt was once again a standout player, racking up an individual goal tally of 30-points and undoubtedly helping the Aussies secure their 60 points to 47 win.
The three-time paralympian and Beijing silver medalist, is Australia’s highest classification player.
The Aussies now moves into the semi-finals, where they’ll take on Belgium.
The match gets underway tonight at 7 o’clock Australian Eastern Standard Time.
7 September
North Coast swimmer Jacqueline Freney has become Australia’s most successful Paralympian at a single games winning her seventh gold medal.
The 20-year-old again blitzed the field in the S7 400m, winning by 19 seconds.
“Seven, I am in heaven,” Freney said.
” It is just unbelievable how good this meet has been.”
6 September
Woy Woy sailor Liesl Tesch will add a gold medal to her collection, winning the Skud 18 class at the Paralympics with a race to spare.
London marks Tesch’s sixth Paralympic Games.
She has previously won silver and bronze medals in wheelchair basketball, but this will be her first gold.
Tesch and partner Daniel Fitzgibbon, who have only been sailing together since the beginning of last year, are leading the field by six points.
It comes after a tough week for Tesch, having lost her mother to cancer on day one of racing.
“I knew that mum wasn’t well at all but I thought she’d make it through the week so it was a real shock to get the news after day one here,” said Tesch. “She was definitely out there with us, today the sun was shining and the breeze was great, mum was certainly looking down on us and pushing us along.
5 September
FRENEY BECOMES ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S GREATEST PARALYMPIANS
The North Coast’s Jacqueline Freney has cemented her place as one of Australia’s greatest Paralympians.
Freney won her sixth gold medal overnight equalling the national record for gold medals at a single Games.
The 20-year-old won the S7 50m freestyle to match Siobhan Paton’s record from the 2000 Sydney Games.
SEVENTH FOR FEARNLEY IN 1500m
Newcastle’s Kurt Fearnley says he will now focus on the marathon after missing out on a medal in the 1500m final, coming in seventh.
Fearnley positioned himself mid-field early in the race, but he became boxed in and failed to make a break.
“It was a bad choice, I probably should have forced my way to the front earlier,” he said.
“When you get back there with a couple of laps to go you’ve got to hope for a miracle and I was looking for the old sprint lane and
it didn’t come.”
Fearnley will compete in the 800m tonight (AEST) and the marathon on Sunday.
4 September
TESCH VOWS TO CONTINUE AT PARALYMPICS AFTER MOTHER’S DEATH
Central Coast sailor Liesl Tesch has vowed to continue her Paralympic campaign despite the death of her mother over the weekend.
Liesl is competing alongside skipper Daniel Ftizgibbon in the Skud 18 class at the sailing regatta in Weymouth.
It is the first time the former wheelchair basketball player has competed in sailing events, and the pair are currently in the lead.
Yachting Australia and the Australian Sailing Team have extended their condolences to her family.
“Yachting Australia and the APC are committed to provide all required support to Liesl and her team mates at this time.” said Yachting Australia High Performance Director Peter Conde.
“Our thoughts and best wishes are with them.”
4 September
GOLD RUSH FOR LOCAL PARALYMPIANS
13-year-old Maddison Elliott has become the youngest Australian Paralympian to win a gold medal, helping the women’s four by 100m freestyle relay to victory overnight.
The team of Ellie Cole, Elliott, Katherine Downie and Jacqueline Freney blitzed the field in a world record time.
Elliott from Gillieston Heights, now has a full set of medals after winning a bronze in the S8 400m freestyle and a silver in the S8 50 metre freestyle.
The relay team also featured North Coast swimmer Jacqueline Freney, bringing her gold medal to tally to five.
She won the S7 100m freestyle before anchoring the relay team.
3 September
Our Hunter contingent continues to haul in medals.
Newcastle wheelchair athlete Kurt Fearnley looked comfortable in the 5000 metre event – until his competitors made their move.
He finished second behind long-time rival David Weir.
In the pool, Anna Bay’s Taylor Cory – seen in lane three – also came second in a thrilling 200 metre freestyle S14 final.
While Gillieston Heights teen Maddison Elliott – seen in lane four – exceeded expectations in the 50 metre freestyle S8 class, with a silver.
3 September
Skenners Head’s Golden Girl,Jacqueline Freney has continued her winning run at the London Paralympics – smashing the world record to claim the women’s 200 metre individual medley.
WATCH THE FINAL STAGES OF HER RACE HERE
2 September
WATT STARTS LONDON CAMPAIGN WITH BRONZE
Veteran Newcastle swimmer Prue Watt went close to securing an elusive gold medal in the 50-metres freestyle for the vision impaired.
The 25-year-old, who won five silver eight years ago, happily settled for bronze in her first appearance in London.
“Incredibly happy with that swim and absolutely stoked to win a bronze.”
1 September
Northern Rivers golden girl Jacqueline Freney has bagged another gold medal at the paralympics this morning.
LOCAL ATHLETES IN ACTION ON DAY 2
Newcastle wheelchair racers Kurt Fearnley and Christie Dawes will hit the track on day two, both competing in the 5000m heats.
Northern Rivers swimmer Jacqueline Freney will be hoping to replicate her gold medal winning performance when she competes in the 50m butterfly.
13-year-old Maddison Elliot will be looking to continue her good form when she takes to the pool for the S8 400m freestyle.
She’ll be joined in the pool by Newcastle born Prue Watt who’ll compete in the 50m freestyle heats and Anna Bay’s Taylor Cory, swimming in the 100m Backstroke.
Woy Woy’s Liesl Tesch will start her sixth straight Paralympic campaign, competing in the Skud 18 class, when the sailing kicks off in Weymouth and Portland .
It’ll be the first time Tesch will compete in sailing at the games, having competed previously in the wheelchair basketball.
JACQUELINE FRENEY SECURES AUSTRALIA’S FIRST GOLD AT THE PARALYMPICS
Northern Rivers local Jacqueline Freney says she’s over moon about earning Australia’s first Gold.
The 20-year-old Skennars Head athlete took to the one hundred metres backstroke final this morning, shaving two seconds off her personal best – clocking 1 minute and 22 seconds.
Freney exceeded her own expectations going into the race.
“And I’m really proud of my achievements. I went in to the final knowing that I could pull out a good time but I didn’t really expect a gold medal at all.”
She’ll compete in five other events and will next take on the 50-metre butterfly tomorrow morning at about three o’ clock.
GOLD FOR NORTH COAST SWIMMER JACQUELINE FRENEY
31 August 2012
North Coast swimmer Jacqueline Freney has helped Australia to a successful first day of competition at the Paralympics, comfortably winning gold in the S7 100m backstroke.
It is the Skenners Head 20-year-old’s first Paralympic gold medal and is expected to add more medals to her collection when she competes in six other events this week.
It was a successful opening night at the games for Australian athletes, winning with three gold, three silver and three bronze medals.
YOUNGEST PARALYMPIAN MAKES FINAL IN FIRST EVENT
31 August 2012
The youngest athlete in the games, 13-year-old Maddison Elliot, has swum in her first Olympic final, coming 6th in the Women’s S8 100m Butterfly.
The Hunter swimmer, who has cerebral palsy will compete in another six events.
She’ll next take to the water at 6:45 tonight (AEST) for the S8 400m Freestyle.
