Australia

Your daily guide to the Games: Paralympic athletics gets underway, swimming continues in Tokyo


Day three of the Tokyo Paralympics sees Australia begin its quest to win medals in the much-anticipated athletics program. 

It is another big day for Australia’s swimming and cycling squads, with the chance of claiming more gold a realistic prospect.

Australia also features in the men’s wheelchair basketball and rugby, as well as the women’s goalball.

The Tokyo Paralympics are broadcast in Australia on free-to-air TV on Channel Seven, as well as streaming platform 7Plus.

Here are some highlights to watch out for on day three. All times listed are AEST.

Athletics: Holt, Anderson go for gold

Australian has genuine gold medal prospects competing on the opening day of the athletics, with Isis Holt and Corey Anderson beginning their campaigns.

Holt, the world record holder in the women’s T35 100 metres, will compete in her heat at 11:07am.

The 20-year-old has already put together a decorated career, with silver medals in the 100m and 200m at the 2016 Rio Olympics, in addition to winning four world titles across both sprint events.

Holt’s world record of 13.43 seconds has stood since 2017. Should she qualify for the final in Tokyo, the gold medal race will be contested at 1:45pm.

Australian star Isis Holt hits the track on day three in Tokyo.(

AAP: Dean Lewins 

)

Anderson is also a world record holder, with his event being the men’s F38 javelin.

His world mark of 58.18m was set in Brisbane in 2020. 

Anderson won gold in the event at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai.

The men’s F38 javelin final begins at 12:06pm.

Jaydon Page (men’s T47 100m) and Sam McIntosh (men’s T52 400m) will also represent Australia on the track on Friday.

Swimming: Aussies return to the pool

Australia is aiming to add more medals to its tally in the pool after claiming podium finishes during the opening two days of competition.

Among the Australian contingent competing on day three is Tiffany Thomas Kane, who will contest the heats of the women’s SM7 200m individual medley at 11:13am.

Thomas Kane was one of the stars of Australia’s showing at the 2016 Rio Games, winning four medals across three classifications.

She collected gold in the SB6 100m breaststroke, and three bronze medals in the 50m freestyle (S6), 50m butterfly (S6) and 200m individual medley (SM6).

Isabella Vincent will compete in the second heat of the SM7 200m individual medley at 11:19am, with the final to be held at 8:00pm.

Other Australians in action in the pool include Jesse Aungles in the men’s S8 100m backstroke heats (10:03am) and Ruby Storm in the women’s S14 200m freestyle preliminaries (9:20am).

The finals session commences at 6:00pm.

Cycling: More medals on offer at the velodrome

Australia already has two gold, a silver and bronze from its efforts in the track cycling, with day three promising more chances of success.

Amanda Reid, a C2-classified athlete, will take part in the women’s C1-3 500m time trial at 11:00am.

Reid won silver in the event at the Rio Games, while she is a three-time world champion in the C2 500m time trial.

She also holds the C2 world record with a time of 38.918.

Alistair Donohoe is in the field for the men’s C5 4,000m individual pursuit, with qualifying commencing at 12:14pm.

Donohoe was a silver medallist in the event in Rio and won the 2019 world title.

The gold-medal race is scheduled for 4:47pm, with the bronze-medal race set to begin at 4:40pm.

Gordon Allan will compete in the men’s C1-3 1,000m time trial, which gets underway at 2:20pm.

Allan is regarded as one of the best in the event’s C2 classification, with a silver and bronze in the 1,000m time trial at the respective 2019 and 2020 world championships.

Team sports: Aussies continue Tokyo tilt

The Australian men’s basketball team, the Rollers, take to the court for the second game in Tokyo against Algeria at 10:00am.

The Rollers beat Iran in their opener, 81-39, and after Algeria they play Germany (Saturday), United States (Sunday) and Great Britain (Monday) to complete their Group B preliminaries.

They are chasing a third Paralympic gold medal, after winning in Beijing (2008) and Atlanta (1996).

Australia continues its charge in the wheelchair rugby when it takes on Japan in a Group A match at 3:00pm.

The Steelers recovered from their opening 54-43 loss to Denmark to beat France on Thursday, 50-48.

Wheelchair rugby player in green and gold drives with the ball with defenders around him.
Ryley Batt and the Steelers are looking to add another win after the earlier loss to Denmark.(

Getty Images:  Alex Davidson

)

The loss to the Danes was the Steelers’ first at a Paralympics since 2008. They have won gold in their past two Games appearances.

Meanwhile, Australia returns to play China in its second match of the women’s goalball competition in Tokyo at 3:45pm.

The Australians lost their opening Group C match against Israel 11-1 on Wednesday.

They still have matches against Canada and the Russian Paralympic Committee team in the group stage.



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