Kenzie and Hodgetts add to Rio medal Tally

Australia’s athletics medal count at the Paralympic Games stands at six after Deon Kenzie (Tas) and Todd Hodgetts (Tas) won a silver and bronze respectively on day three in the Rio 2016 stadium.

Competing at his first Paralympics, Kenzie was gutsy in the men’s T38 1500m for athletes with cerebral palsy. He led at the sound of the bell, before being edged out for gold to claim second in a time of 4:14.65. Kenzie’s performance sees him improve on the bronze medal he won at the Doha 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships last year.

What a thrilling finish in the Men's 1500m T38, Aussie Deon Kenzie takes #Silver our first on the track https://t.co/yTqD8hNycq

— 7TWO (@7TWOAU) September 10, 2016

The reigning Paralympic champion in the F20 shot put for athletes with intellectual disabilities, Hodgetts' podium finish was secured after a final round throw of 15.82m. His series also included marks of 15.28m, 15.10m, 14.84m, 15.42m and 14.54m, with the gold medal won by Muhammad Zolkefli (MAS) in a world record mark of 16.84m.

It's #Bronze for Aussie Todd 'The Hulk' Hodgetts in the Men's Shot Put F20 #Athletics https://t.co/KgE30Ne1Yi

— 7TWO (@7TWOAU) September 10, 2016

Narrowly missing a medal on day three was both Jessee Wyatt (Vic) and Sam McIntosh (Vic). Competing in the F33 shot put for athletes with cerebral palsy, an event in which athletes competed seated and secured, Wyatt hit a best mark of 8.71m to place fourth, while debutant McIntosh clocked 18.13 to also place one spot away from the podium in the T52 wheelchair 100m.

In other finals results:

• Rosemary Little (NSW) crossed the line in 5th place in the final of the women’s T34 wheelchair 100m, stopping the clock in 19.05.
• Throwing a personal best of 28.46m, Rae Anderson (NSW) finished 5th in the final of the women’s F37 javelin for athletes with cerebral palsy.
• Nicole Harris (NSW) placed 7th in the women’s F20 shot put for athletes with intellectual disabilities. Her best mark was 11.53m.
• Bronze medallist Angela Ballard (NSW) qualified for the final of the T53 400m with a 1st place finish in her round 1 heat – one of her pet events, the final will take place Sunday evening in Rio.
• Gabriel Cole (SA) finished 4th in his T47 100m heats to miss out on qualifying for the final but just 0.07 seconds.
• Richard Colman (Vic) failed to qualify for his final in the men's T53 400m finishing 5th ni his heat.