Róisín Ní Riain won her second medal of the Paralympic Games with a third-place finish in the SM13 200m individual medley final at the La Défense Arena on Tuesday night.
The 19-year-old backed up her burgeoning reputation as a real star of the pool with a stunning last 50 metres to snatch bronze and set a new personal best of 2:27.47 in the process – erasing almost two seconds of her previous PB of 2:29.11
Ní Riain was fourth for most of the race but started to close the gap during a strong third length. She was still fourth at the last turn but powered home to touch the wall just ahead of Shokhsanamkhon Toshpulatova, who clocked 2:27.55.
“I’ve been coming fourth in this event for so long, so I’m delighted to have finally secured third place. I’m delighted with my finish,” she said.
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“My plan was to build on the solid swim this morning and I’m really happy to win bronze.”
Italy’s Carlotta Gilli won gold in 2:25.33, with USA’s Olivia Chambers taking silver in 2:25.90.
“I’ve been on the wrong side of the IM touches now for the last three years, so to be able to come out and finally get on the right side of a touch, I couldn’t be happier,” Ní Riain added.
But it was a disappointing evening for Nicole Turner in the pool as she finished sixth in the S6 50m butterfly final. A silver medallist in the event at the Tokyo Games, Turner couldn’t reproduce the form that got her on the podium three years ago, finishing in a time of 38.59.
“If I’m honest I just wanted to go out and enjoy that race, I did it but I think the last couple of metres I just didn’t have it in me,” said Turner.
“The podium would have been nice today but it just didn’t happen. I planned to get quicker off the block and I didn’t feel that bad, but I’ve worked so hard to be here and for that I’m delighted to be in Paris, not everyone gets the opportunity to compete at a Paralympic Games.”
However, it was a more positive race for 17-year-old Dearbhaile Brady who finished fifth in her maiden Paralympic final with a new personal best time of 37.67.
The Derry swimmer was just outside the medal places – bronze was won by Brazilian Mayara Do Amaral Petzold in a time of 37.51, while China’s Yuyan Jiang (35.03) and compatriot Liu Daomin (37.10) claimed gold and silver.
“That went really well, that was a PB for me so I’m delighted with that,” said Brady.
“I’m a lot faster than I was last year, that’s how much I’ve changed. I wasn’t too nervous. I decided it’s the final and I didn’t know what was going to happen, so I went out to enjoy it. I’m really happy how I finished.”
Turner had finished third in her morning heat with a time of 38.10. Brady finished fourth in the same heat with a time of 38.73.
Barry McClements was eighth in his S9 100m backstroke final with a time of 1:05.56. The 22-year-old Down swimmer will be back in the water on Friday for his main event, the S9 100m butterfly.
“My turn wasn’t great at the halfway point, if that had been fixed it might have been a different result but it was a quick fast race and I enjoyed it,” said McClements.
The race was won by Yahor Shchalkanau, participating as a Neutral Paralympic Athlete, in a Paralympic record time of 1:00.76.
Ní Riain is not finished in the pool either yet. She will compete for a third medal in these Games when she swims in the heats of the SB13 100m breaststroke on Thursday.
On completing her interviews at the La Défense Arena, Ní Riain asked how Orla Comerford had fared in her 100m final at the Stade de France – both races took place just minutes apart.
On hearing of Comerford’s bronze, Ní Riain beamed: “That’s wonderful to hear for Orla. I couldn’t be happier, it’s great, a great night for Team Ireland, and hopefully there may be some more to come.”
Indeed.
