Live: Tokyo Paralympic medal chances in cycling, athletics and boccia on day eight
WHEELCHAIR TENNIS: There’s just no stopping Dylan Alcott
Dylan Alcott has admitted he thought he was on the brink of losing his quad wheelchair singles semi-final in Tokyo, before battling through cramp and exhaustion to beat the Netherlands’ Niels Vink in three sets.
“I thought I was done there, I just reminded myself to enjoy it,” Alcott told Channel Seven.
“I just love what the Paralympics represent. It saved my life, it honestly did. That was the best match I ever been a part of, and it was here … it was special.”
It was the players’ awesome support for each other after the match that got me — Alcott told his post-game interview that he and Niels are mates, despite being “half my age”.
“When I hugged him at the end he was in tears. He wouldn’t let go and I just said I was so proud of him, how well he played,” Alcott said.
My heaarrrttttttttttt 😭
We’ve got the full wrap on Dylan Alcott’s brilliant semi-final here — and if you’re chasing some more Paralympics stories to get you in the mood for the day ahead, check out this one on Afghanistan’s Hossain Rasouli competing after being evacuated from Kabul or this story from yesterday about Darren Hicks’ gold medal greatness on the cycling track. We also have this cool story from ABC South West Victoria about Nathaniel Kenyon, a prosthetist who’s supposed to be in Tokyo right now helping our elite athletes perform at their best (thanks COVID).
