Medal glory for athletes
Hills athletes have had a solid start to the 2016 Rio Paralympics.
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Hills athletes have had a solid start to the 2016 Rio Paralympics.
Ellie Cole, an instructor at C2K Fitness & Aquatic Centre in Castle Hill, claimed her 10th career Paralympic medal with a silver in the pool on Day 2 of the Rio Paralympics.
The 24-year-old won silver in the women’s 400m freestyle S9 with a time of 4:42.58, just 0.02 of a second behind Nuria Marques Soto, of Spain.
“I didn’t realise how close it was going to be, but I enjoyed that experience so much,” Cole said.
“I have no idea why (Australian Olympic gold medallist) Mack Horton enjoys that race though, it’s tough, and I don’t think I’ll be swimming too many 400s in the future because I like my sprint events too much.
“I actually only entered the 400 as a last-minute decision, purely on the basis that I wouldn’t be racing (un) til day five otherwise, so the 400 was just really to get in and get used the Paralympic experience again.”
Cole also picked up a bronze in the women’s 100m freestyle S9 with a time of 1:02.93 on Day 6.
She will also compete in the women’s 50m freestyle S9, the women’s 100m backstroke S9, and the women’s 4x100m freestyle and medley relays this week.
Rosemary Little, of West Pennant Hills, finished fifth in the women’s 100m – T33/34 with a time of 19.05 on Day 3.
“I had quite a bad start and the 100 not being my best event, I took a while to get going,” she said.
“For the 400 and 800 I’m aiming to do a lot better – top three for both I hope.”
Little will compete in the women’s 400m T33/34 and the women’s 800m T34 later this week.
Kellyville High School alumni Taylor Doyle also won a silver for Australia in the women’s long jump T38.
The 23-year-old, of Oakville, produced a leap of 4.62 m on Day 4 to finish second behind Chinese Junfei Chen (4.77m).
Timothy Hodge, who trains at the Hills Swimming & Life Saving Club, finished fifth in the men’s 200m individual medley SM9 final with a time of 2:21.14 on Day 4. The 15-year-old will compete in several other swimming events this week.
Rio has been the biggest Paralympic Games, with 4300 athletes from 176 countries participating.
The Games will run until September 17.
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