Magnificent Mali motors to fifth place in Paris | Day Six
Published Wed 04 Sep 2024
Mali Lovell has announced herself as a sprint champion in the making, with the Paralympic debutant backing up her bronze medal performance with a fifth place finish in the 100m T36 on Day Six of competition in Paris.
Clocking a personal best of 14.57 (0.8) to finish third in Heat 1, 20-year-old Lovell (NSW, Katie Edwards and Melinda Gainsford-Taylor) backed up just hours later roaring to 14.80 (-0.6) to finish just shy of the podium as she rounded out her stellar campaign.
Lovell placed seventh (15.17s) in the 100m at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships held in Paris, and has markedly improved in both time and placing in her second trip to the French capital
“I’m proud I raced two events and made two finals at my first Games,” Lovell said.
“I do love the 200 but I want to keep doing the 100 as they complement each other.”
Fellow debutant Abby Craswell (QLD, Andrew Craswell and Sebastian Kuzminski) marked her own Paralympic debut in the event, with the 20-year-old stopping the clock at 15.28 to finish fourth in her heat, and 10th overall – missing out on a spot in the final alongside Lovell. China’s Shi Yiting won gold with a Paralympic record of 13.39, with Kiwi star Danielle Aitchison taking silver.
2023 World Para Athletics Championships medallist Rosemary Little (NSW, Breanne Clement) achieved another top-8 finish, with the wheelchair racer-turned-thrower closing out her time in Paris with a 5.91m throw in the Shot Put F32.
Taking her time to find her groove in the seated event, Little launched large but was unable to muster up the power to produce near her personal best – 16.46m achieved this season - which would have elevated her to fourth place.
“Six out of 12 competitors is halfway so not bad really for this time of night and this kind of dystonia (muscle contractions out of her control,” Little said.
“I’ve finished by fourth Games and my coach says she intends to get me to a fifth, but unfortunately with my condition, it’s difficult to know how my body will feel in six months, let alone four years. I’m hoping our class can get a track race on the LA program, as the 100m T32 has been allowed at the last two world championships.”
Returning to the Paralympic stage for the second time in Paris, Sarah Clifton-Bligh (NSW, Louise Sauvage) bolstered the Australian efforts in the event, with the 20-year-old putting 4.85m to finish 10th in the 12-strong field.
“It’s been a big learning curve for me. I tried to not think of my nerves because I perform better when I can just blot that out and focus on what I have to do,” Clifton-Bligh said.
Back on the track, Luke Bailey (NSW, Andrew Dawes) became a Paralympic finalist for the first time when finishing in seventh place in the 100m T54.
The burgeoning wheelchair racer put in two solid performances across the heats and final over the course of Day Six, clocking 14.39 on each occasion. The Novocastrian was 0.98-seconds off the podium, with Juan Pablo Cervantes Garcia breaking Mexico’s national record at 13.74 to win gold, with Athiwat Paeng-Nuea and Leo-Pekka Tahti rounding out the podium.
“My coach (Andrew Dawes), he told me to just go for it… well maybe there was another word in there that I can’t repeat,” Bailey laughed.
“I had a good start but couldn’t get the back-end speed that I’ve been after. I can’t complain though – I’m in my first Paralympic final.
“It’s always been a dream and I started to get nervous as we waited in the call room. It’s all worth it to get out in front of this big crowd and hear the cheering engulf you as you come up the straight. I’m proud of it all, over the moon to be in my first final at my second Paralympics. I can’t believe it’s the exact same time.”
Bailey will be back in action next session for the 800m T54, alongside Samuel Rizzo.
Tomorrow’s action will see Australia look to continue its medal haul, as Paralympic champion Vanessa Low leads a charge that includes seven-time Paralympian Angie Ballard and Tokyo medallist Maria Strong.
By Sascha Ryner, Athletics Australia
Posted: 5/9/2024
