Pascoe makes history for NZ

Hamish McLean.
Hamish McLean.
Sophie Pascoe, Liam Malone and Cameron Leslie added three gold medals to New Zealand's haul at the Rio Paralympics yesterday, bringing its total to seven golds and 13 overall.

Pascoe (23) became New Zealand's most successful Paralympian, winning her ninth career gold and 14th medal overall. She broke the Paralympic record in the 100m butterfly S10, swimming 1min 2.65sec to beat her nearest opponent by 4sec. The medal was Pascoe's fourth of the Games and her third gold.

Her win means she equals Eve Rimmer's medal record, but surpasses her by winning one more gold. Rimmer won eight golds from 1968 to 1980, primarily in athletics, but she was also successful in the pool and in archery.

Leslie (26) swam a world record 2min 23.12sec to win the 150m IM SM4 by nearly 4sec. It was Leslie's first medal of the Games, after she finished eighth in the 200m freestyle. Nikita Howarth won bronze in the women's 50m butterfly S7 in 35.97sec.

Wanaka swimmer Hamish McLean did not qualify for the final of the men's 200m IM SM6.

On the track, Malone (22) smashed Oscar Pistorius' Paralympic record of 21.30sec to win the men's 200m T44 in 21.06. It was Malone's second medal of the Games, after he claimed silver in the 100m at the weekend. American Hunter Woodhall was his nearest opponent, finishing in 21.12sec, while German David Behre ran 21.41sec to claim bronze.

Malone still has his favoured 400m to go.

The result means New Zealand has climbed to seventh on the medal table. China leads the way with 50 golds and 118 medals overall.

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