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CPSARA News
Triple treat in the pool for Australiaby APC Beijing Media Team Posted 11/09/2008 09:57 PM Gold medals and world records came in three separate packages in a super night for Australia in the pool at the Beijing Paralympics. First it was Peter Leek, then Matt Cowdrey, then Rick Pendleton - all delivering resounding first placings in their individual 200m medley events and topping previous world marks…their own in the case of Leek and Cowdrey. “Superfish” Leek and Cowdrey took five seconds and three seconds respectively off their previous marks for S8 and S9 competitors, while Pendleton stripped almost two seconds off the record for the S10 class. The “trifecta” propelled Australia to third on the swimming tally of gold medals behind the US and Great Britain. Leek’s victory in 2.20.92 (previously 2.25.51) gives the 20-year-old from Sydney a second world record and takes his medal haul so far to five - two gold, two silvers and a bronze. Leek, nicknamed “Pipes”, said the only secret to his “awesome” results in Beijing was 18 years of hard work. “And every minute of that hard work has been worth it to get results like these,” he said. “I knew I had to go out hard to win a race like this. So I just went for it and I can’t believe how fast the time is. “I’m just stoked that time belongs to me because I think it’s going to be a long time before anyone beats it.” Leek , from St Mary’s in Sydney, went into the final with the fastest qualifying time. His major rival for the gold, China’s Wang Xiaoofu, the Athens gold medalist, was disqualified in the heats for an incorrect kick in the breaststroke leg. After the swim Leek said he didn’t know how long his mother would be crying for. Cowdry swamped his previous mark for the distance with a time of 2.13.60 (previously 2.16.32) to defend his second Paralympic medal from Athens. “I knew I’d be close to going under 15 but I didn’t think a 13 was quite possible, so hey, I definitely came out, enjoyed the night and swam fast,” he said. “That was probably the biggest race of the meet for me, so now I’ve defended both titles from Athens I’m ecstatic. “And that time was really, really quick so I don’t think I could have had a better night than tonight.” Cowdry, from Adelaide, believes confidence helped him more than anything else. “Confidence – I think in the marshalling area I was the only one really talking and just enjoying the time, and confidence is a good thing,” he said. “Tonight’s the first night we’ve got two Aussie gold in the pool and I don’t think that even happened in Athens so it’s a good night. “ The 19 year old’s medal haul at these Games is now two gold and two silvers. Sydney boy, Rick Pendleton swam a withering time of 2.12.78. It was his first medal of the Games. “I’m glad to be the third one in the same category or same event to smash the world record – it’s a good trifecta,” he said. “I’m just over the moon with that..wow! What a big swim and a big race and I’m glad to be on top at the moment.” Pendleton, who was born without a left hand, said he was shocked with his time. “I was expecting maybe a 2.14, so 4 seconds off my Personal Best, that’s a massive swim. “I always knew that I’d be behind in the fly and backstroke so once I got to the breast stroke I knew I just had to drop the hammer and go for it. “Just everything came together at the same time – everything falls into line properly for you, that’s the reason you go so fast.” South Australian freestyle Jay Dohnt won bronze in the 400 m final S7 tonight and said his entire family of seven were in tears. “I came here to get a medal and didn’t care what colour it was. This is the best. I am so relieved and happy,” he said. Meanwhile, Ellie Cole did not start in her 200m individual medley SM9 event. Head coach Brendan Keogh said she didn’t get to the call-up room in time and was late. “For the team I take full responsibility. We probably didn’t warm her up enough. She’s a bit upset but we’re working through it,” he said. Cole, from Frankston, Victoria, won a silver medal in the 100m butterfly earlier in the week. Happy accident has silver lining
Kath Proudfoot’s silver medal in the cerebral palsy women’s discus at the Bird’s Nest today was the result of a happy accident. Three years ago, she was training at her local gym in Newcastle – the same gym the Australian Paralympic Committee had selected to host its Talent Search day. She wandered over after she’d finished her work out. The rest is Paralympic history. Proudfood threw a personal best of 23.91 metres – 90 centimetres above her previous best – to come second in the event to China’s Qing Wu. Alla Malchyk from the Ukraine came third. Australia’s Noni Thompson finished 10th. “I’m ecstatic,” she said. “It doesn’t feel real yet. It’s what you dream about before you go out there. To actually do it is just amazing.” Proudfoot juggles two to three hours of training six days a week with a full-time job as a speech pathologist in Newcastle. She is also doing a PhD, but put it on hold to focus on the Beijing Games. “I have had lots of support,” she said. “I get to stand up on the dais but there’s so many people who help you get there – that are behind you 100 per cent.” Sport has also helped her confidence. “I am quite a shy person and for me to stand up in a stadium like this is a big deal. If you can do that and perform your best when you are doing whatever things in life you do, you just have confidence in yourself.” In other track and field action, Michael Roeger, from South Australia, qualified for the men’s 1500m finals, and Katy Parrish, also of South Australia, qualified for the women’s T38 100m. Julie Smith (Qld) got through to the next round of the women’s T46 100m, but Carlee Beattie (Qld) missed out. Peter Leek wins 2nd medal.Peter Leek has won his second medal in the pool. Peter finished 3rd in the Men's 100m Freestyle S8 in a time of 59.14 seconds. Teen speed earns bronze
Teenager Jayme Paris has won a bronze medal, smashing the world record in the women’s cycling 500m time trial at the Paralympic Games. Paris, a 19 year old student from Marayong, NSW, recorded a benchmark time of 44.490 seconds, adjusted from her raw time of 46.427 for her cerebral palsy classification. But only minutes later her new time was beaten by German rider Natalie Simanowski, with a time of 43.800 to earn silver, and again by New Zealand’s Paula Tesoriero in 43.201 to snare gold. However, Paris, who was competing in a mixed classification event, will still retain the world mark against her name because she is in a different classification from the other two riders. Paris later said she was thrilled all the training and hard work had paid off. "I feel great. It's amazing that I've broken my world record again and won a bronze medal," she said. "I've got the 3000m pursuit and the road time trials (ahead). "This is a great start and hopefully I'll do a personal best in the pursuit, but I'm not expecting too much in the road time trials." Australia’s other cyclist in the time trial event, Jane Armstrong, of Canberra, finished fourth with a time of 45.402.
Jacqueline Freney wins Bronze in 100m Freestyle S8Jacqueuline has won Bronze in the 100m Freestyle S8 in a time of 1.08.56 minutes (we are waiting on final report - more details to follow)
Gold medal swimmer challenged on his swimmers
Teenager Peter Leek surged home to win Australia’s first Paralympic gold medal in the pool tonight – and then was accused of wearing “immodest” swimmers. The 18 year old from St Marys, in Sydney, surged home in the S8 100m butterfly final in a new world record time of 1:00.95, bettering the record time of 1:01:01he set in his heat earlier in the day. Ranked No 2 in the world going into the Beijing Games, Leek – nicknamed “Pipes” –was ecstatic on hitting the wall ahead of two Chinese competitors. But on leaving the pool he was fronted by a FINA official who told him his skin-tight, hip-hugging “knickers” – the official swimwear – were “immodest”, and “do something about them before tomorrow.” “I was a bit shocked…they were my normal swimmers…nothing was different as far as I could tell…I will check with my coach, but I think I will wear them again. “Anyway, I’m over the moon…I’ve being waiting 10 years for this.” At the NSW Sports Federation Annual Sports Awards that were held on Tuesday 12 Feb 2008 CPSARA members were honoured when we received two winners on the night. I am sure that all members would join in with me and congratulate the winners of the awards and these were: Kara Leo – Joint Winner - NSW Junior Athlete of the Year with a Disability |
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Kara has had a great year kicking of at the 2007 Australian Open Championships in Brisbane where Kara made It into 2 finals and achieved her personal best times for all her events. Kara competed in the Schools National Championships in Hobart and came home with 4 Gold and 1 Bronze medal. Kara is currently a member of the Telstra Australian Silver Dolphins squad and was selected to represent Australia for the first time at the 2007 INAS-FID World Swimming Championships in Belgium. With some fantastic results; Gold in 50m Backstroke, Silver in 100m and 200m Backstroke as well as 800m Freestyle, Bronze in 400m Freestyle and Gold in the relay events 4x50m, 4x100m, 4x200m Freestyle as well as 4x50m Medley. Kara holds the age and open records 200m Backstroke and 800m Freestyle. | ||||||||
NSW Cerebral Palsy Football Team – Joint Winner – NSW Team of the Year with a Disability |
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In 2007 the NSW Cerebral Palsy Football Team won the National Championships for the 4th year in a row, and secured the silver medal at the Queensland Festival of Football. 11 out of 12 NSW team members are current squad members of the Australian Paralympic Football Squad that recently competed at the CPISRA 7-A-Side Football World Championships in Brazil finishing 11th on the world ladder. | ||||||||
Once again let’s congratulate members of the NSW CP Football Team and Kara Leo on their success. We must also acknowledge the following people who were also nominated and being made a finalist is an achievement in itself. CPSARA is currently blessed with some very talented athletes. Jayme Paris – Cycling – also nominated in the NSW Junior Athlete of the Year with a Disability Congratulations everyone. |
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| David Campbell President CPSARA |
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