Australian Paralympian Jaryd Clifford calls for increased drug testing in disability sport amid Russia medal surge

Following a second heartbreak at the Paris Paralympics, Australian middle distance runner Jaryd Clifford has called for more drug testing in para sport amid a Russian medal clean-up.

Australia’s unluckiest Paralympian has called for increased drug testing in disability sport after he was cruelly denied a medal in his last event in Paris.

Legally blind middle distance runner Jaryd Clifford couldn’t believe his latest misfortune after he missed out on the bronze medal in the 1500m visually impaired final by just 0.01 seconds, a little more than the width of his singlet.

It was a heartbreaking result for the courageous Clifford, who was days earlier stripped off the bronze medal he should have received in the 5000m over a technical breach when he disconnected the tether joining him to his guide runner just before the finish line.

“It’s almost so ridiculous that it’s funny,” Clifford said. “To be DQ’d in the last metre and then 0.01.

“It’s crazy that it’s three years of work and the last metre of both races can define all of that. It’s pretty brutal.”

After doing all the hard work up front, Clifford was left a sitting duck for the runners pocketed in his slipstream.

Jaryd Clifford was denied a medal by 0.01 seconds. Picture: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Russia’s Aleksandr Kostin took full advantage and passed Clifford on the back straight then surged clear to win gold just ahead of Tunisia’s Rouay Jebabli.

Russia’s Anton Kuliatin, who was promoted to bronze when Clifford was disqualified in the 5000m, snuck on the podium again by the barest of margins after the Aussie fell over the line after a desperate late lunge.

“I wanted to fight all the way to the line. I had a brain fade and dropped the stupid tether with a metre to go (in the 5000m) and that’s probably the laziest moment of my career and I just wanted to make sure I ran through that line,” Clifford said.

“I wish the dive was a bit earlier or bigger but that’s sport, it’s just so tough...and now it’s four years to go back to the drawing board.”

Jaryd Clifford has had an agonising Paralympic campaign. Picture: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Clifford is just one of a growing number of Australians who have missed out on medals in the French capital after being beaten by Russians competing as “neutrals.”

While there were just 15 Russian athletes at the Olympics, there are 88 at the Paralympics, and they have been cleaning up, although their medals aren’t recognised on the official table and the Russian flag and anthem is strictly banned.

The participation of so many ‘neutrals” has deeply divided the sports world, not only because of politics around the war being waged in Ukraine but also because of Russia’s appalling history of state-sponsored doping.

Jaryd Clifford wants more drug testing for para sport. Picture: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Clifford said he had no issue with the Russians he ran against but said he had broader concerns about the limited testing of Para athletes.

“If we’re talking about drugs and sport then I just really do hope they’re clean,” Clifford said.

“I would like to be drug tested more often. I don’t think there’s enough drug testing in para sport.

“Like, I don’t get tested enough so I think that could be something to improve our sport.

“But I think that’s a resource thing. I don’t have any hard feelings, I’ve always prided myself on sportsmanship.

“There’s all this Russia stuff but at the end of the day we’re eight visually impaired middle distance runners, so we ‘re a pretty niche group and there’s some camaraderie from that.”

Originally published as Australian Paralympian Jaryd Clifford calls for increased drug testing in disability sport amid Russia medal surge