Dublin teenager Orla Comerford finished eighth in the T13 women's 100 metres final, a fine achievement given that it's her first major championship. Studying for the Leaving Certificate and injury issues hampered her preparations but she can be proud of her efforts.
“I just knew it wasn’t there on the day, I felt it in my legs but I made it to the final. That was my first goal and I achieved it. The atmosphere on the track is like nothing I’ve ever felt,” she said.
In the velodrome, Katie-George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal finished an agonising fifth in the Women’s B tandem individual pursuit with a personal best time at sea level of 3.33.471.
Four bikes progressed to the medal ride-off, with the Irish pairing missing out by 0.173 seconds. They said they were frustrated by the lack of velodrome facilities at home and having to constantly travel for camps. But they will take the satisfaction from a personal best and bring that momentum to their final event, which takes place on the road.
In the men’s B tandem kilo Damien Vereker and Seán Hahessy finished in eighth place recording a personal best in the process. Hahessy smiled: “A minute and six seconds to do one kilometre; I went to school one kilometre from my house and never got there that quick! We’re pretty happy.”
In the swimming pool, Ireland’s Ellen Keane made her Rio debut and despite an impressive swim in the SM9 200m individual medley, did not make the final. Keane clocked 2 minutes 41.17 seconds but would have needed to swim under her best time of 2:39.95 to advance.
She admitted: “Freestyle is my weakest so maybe I should have held back so I had more energy. I gave it my all and can say I left nothing in the tank.”
Ailbhe Kelly finished seventh in her heat of the S8 100m freestyle. Kelly touched home in 1:20.65 for 15th place.
The 17-year-old Castleknock girl was happy. “I definitely enjoyed that a lot more than I did the 400m. I was a lot calmer going in to it, I wasn’t as nervous.
Para triathletes Catherine Walsh and Fran Meehan finished a creditable eighth in the debut sport in Rio. The pair were fifth after the swim and bike disciplines.
