Paralympics 2021 LIVE updates Tokyo fires up again with early Aussie medals expected
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Today’s swimming heats are officially done and dusted with some amazing feats achieved in the pool already.
For Australia, Ahmed Kelly has made his way into the finals for the men’s 50m breaststroke S3.
Rowan Crothers has also qualified first for the men’s 50m freestyle S10. Thomas Gallagher is also through.
Australian swimmer Ben Popham has also won his heat to qualify fastest for the men’s 100m freestyle S8 ahead of tonight’s final.
Alexander Tuckfield has qualified first in the men’s 400m freestyle S9 for the final, which will also feature compatriots Brenden Hall and Will Martin.
“I’d say, you know what, all three of us can definitely be on that podium. It’s just a matter of who gets that first, second and third,†Tuckfield said after the race.
Sadly, Keira Stephens has missed out in the women’s 50m freestyle S10. Kirralee Hayes has also missed out in the women’s 100m butterfly S13.
Ricky Betar and Benjamin Hance have also both made it into the men’s 100m butterfly S14 for Australia.
21-year-old Ben Hance has made it into the men’s S14 100m butterfly final alongside Ricky Betar. Credit:Getty
The medal races start at 6pm AEST.
Insane. Emily Petricola has also just smashed her own world record - this time by six seconds.
Clearly she was watching her teammate Paige Greco very closely ahead of her own race.
Petricola clocked a 3:38.061 in the women’s C4 3000m individual pursuit, a crazy effort from the Victorian 41-year-old.
A great photo of the world record holders below in the lead-up.
We are only two hours into the Paralympics and already one of our athletes has smashed a world record.
Cyclist Paige Greco has just beaten her own world record in the C3 3000m individual pursuit by over seven seconds. She clocked an insane 3:52.283 in the qualifier.
The top two riders will head into the final this afternoon with Greco now sitting at the top of the leaderboard.
Konnichiwa sports fans.
As all the athletes will tell you here, the warm-up event is over. Welcome to the Paralympics.
I’ve been on the ground in Tokyo since Saturday, getting an insight into the Australian team before they prepare.
While there were huge logistical challenges getting the Olympic team to Japan, you can almost double that for Australia’s Paralympians.
As we’ve already mentioned today, the big ones to look out for on Wednesday are the wheelchair rugby team, cycling and swimming.
World record holder Brendan Hall begins his campaign on day one of the Games. Credit:Getty
I’ll be planning to head out to watch the Australia’s wheelchair rugby team, the Steelers, play their first game of the Games as they chase a third straight gold medal.
Australia’s first medals are likely to come in the cycling, while the swim team could be set for a gold rush if predictions come true.
No matter where you look there are stories galore.
What these athletes have had to overcome is remarkable in every sense of the word.
We’ll be endeavouring to tell their stories as best as possible over the next 12 days.
I’ll be giving updates throughout the day wherever in the city I am, but you can guarantee I’ll be at the pool a bit later to watch the likes of Ellie Cole, Brenden Hall and Lakeisha Patterson.
Hi all, Sarah Keoghan here.
Welcome to the first day of our live Paralympics blog.
With most of Australia in lockdown, the 11 days of competition will provide a glimmering escape from our own living rooms.
It’s a huge day for our athletes today as our Australia’s 179-strong team begin their campaign. There are up to 10 medal chances in the pool, with Aussies also competing across cycling, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby.
Our athletes will be competing in 18 of the 22 sports in Tokyo, and is the largest team we’ve ever sent to an overseas Games.
If you didn’t get a chance to catch the opening ceremony of the Games last night, take a look at Herald reporter Tom Decent’s recap here.
Tom will be on the ground throughout the entire Games and will keep us up to date with the latest.
Dani Di Toro and Ryley Batt fly the Australian flag at the Paralympic opening ceremony. Credit:Getty
Let’s get things under way.
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