Great day for Paralympians

Mary Fisher broke the world record in the 100m backstroke to take gold. Photo: Getty Images
Mary Fisher broke the world record in the 100m backstroke to take gold. Photo: Getty Images
An elated Liam Malone after winning silver in the 100m T44 final. Photo: Getty Images
An elated Liam Malone after winning silver in the 100m T44 final. Photo: Getty Images
Aurelie Rivard (left) and Sophie Pascoe congratulate each other taking winning gold and silver in...
Aurelie Rivard (left) and Sophie Pascoe congratulate each other taking winning gold and silver in their 50m freestyle event. Photo: Getty Images
Rory McSweeney after winning bronze in the javelin. Photo: Getty Images
Rory McSweeney after winning bronze in the javelin. Photo: Getty Images

Kiwi Paralympian swimmers Mary Fisher and Sophie Pascoe have both won medals in the pool at Rio, while Rory McSweeney claimed bronze in the men's Javelin and Liam Malone took silver in the men's 100m T44 final.

Fisher smashed her competitors in the Women's 100m Backstroke S11, winning New Zealand's second gold medal of the Games today (NZ time). She took out the win in a world record time of 1min 17.96s ahead of China's Liwen Cai and Maja Reichard from Sweden.

Fisher celebrates her victory at the Aquatic Centre. Photo: Getty Images
Fisher celebrates her victory at the Aquatic Centre. Photo: Getty Images

Earlier, Sophie Pascoe won New Zealand's 200th Paralympic medal in style after swimming to silver. Her time of 27.72s in the 50m Freestyle S10 the was a personal best and a new Oceania Record.

The 26-year-old from Christchurch was narrowly beaten by Canada's Aurelie Rivard, who broke the World Record to beat Pascoe by 0.75s, finishing in a time of 27.27s. Yi Chen (China) had to settle for bronze in a time of 28.21sec.

Pascoe qualified second fastest behind Rivard in the heat.

Pascoe came into Rio in dominant form, after winning three gold, a silver and two bronze at the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championship.

Athletics stars

McSweeney won a bronze medal in the Men's Javelin F44m. He held this position throughout the competition, but confirmed his bronze with his 4th attempt of 54.99m.

The gold medal was won by Akeem Stewart (Trinidad and Tobago) with a new world record throw of 57.32m. Silver went to Alister McQueen (Canada) throwing 55.56m.

Malone ran the race of his life to win silver in the Men's 100m T44 final in a time of 11.02s. He accelerated at a phenomenal pace in the last 20 metres and moved through the group to take second. 

Johnnie Peacock won gold equaling his Paralympic record of 10.81 she set in yesterday's heats, while Felix Streng from Germay had to settle for bronze in a time of 11.03s.

From left: New Zealand's Liam Malone, Jarryd Wallace of the United States and Jonnie Peacock from Great Britain compete in the 100m T44 final. Photo: Getty Images
From left: New Zealand's Liam Malone, Jarryd Wallace of the United States and Jonnie Peacock from Great Britain compete in the 100m T44 final. Photo: Getty Images

 

 

 

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