McCracken wins brilliant bronze

Australia has bid farewell to the purple track in Paris in style, claiming no less than three medals on the final night of competition at Stade de France, with James Turner surging to gold to complete the sprint double while Reece Langdon and NSWIS scholarship holder, Rheed McCracken, collected bronze medals on the penultimate day of the Paralympic Games.

A spotlight was shone on James Turner (ACT, Iryna Dvoskina) once more, with the Canberran adding another gold medal to his collection with a world class performance in the 100m T36.

Racing to victory in no less than a Paralympic record time of 11.85, Australia’s King of the Sprints reclaimed the title after settling for silver in Tokyo in his first international defeat – but left both his competitors and spectators in shock in the delivery of his race.

In third position with 20-metres to go, Turner put his foot on the gas to mow down his competitors, leaving Argentina’s Alexis Chavez (11.88) and China’s Yang Yifei (11.88) in his wake.

“It was looking a bit doubtful for a bit, wasn’t it?” Turner laughed. 

“I’ve been working really hard with Iryna to fix up my start because that’s where I lost it in Tokyo but we’ve fixed that now and after the 400m, I needed because I needed every advantage I could get.

“This race wasn’t so much revenge for me, it was redemption. I take full responsibility for what happened in Tokyo. I shouldn’t let other athletes dictate how I run. It’s been fantastic though, it’s been redemption for me but also vindication for my coach Iryna (Dvoskina).

While Turner won his fifth Paralympic medal, it was also coach Iryna Dvoskina’s 72^nd medal for Australia at a major championships.

“This was definitely the hardest one for me. I don’t know which medal means the most. I do my best in every single race I do and every single race I leave a little bit of myself out there.”

Claiming his sixth medal at his fourth Paralympic Games was wheelchair racer Rheed McCracken (NSW, Louise Sauvage) who left it all on the track to clinch bronze in the 800m T34.

Despite the race not being his pet event, the 27-year-old played the race to perfection. Up in the lead pack throughout the two-lap race, McCracken was strategic in his approach, hanging on behind gold medallist Austin Smeenk (CAN).

Coming down the home straight, the Bundaberg product was overtaken by Thailand’s Chaiwait Rattana, and with Wang Yang (CHI) riding beside him, it was a race-off for bronze in the final metres. The Australian prevailed, with his front wheel crossing the line just 0.01 of a second in front of his rival.

“This was very unexpected to be honest with you. I can’t believe it, I think that’s the best Paralympic medal I’ve won,” McCracken exclaimed.

“It was the hardest that I’ve won. I mean, they’re all hard – I have to respect the other five that I won, but in terms of the 100m, I wasn’t quick enough and this one, that last little bit, I thought if I could just hold this position. Everything was hurting – everywhere. My lungs were burning but I thought if I can just get through this. It’s nice to be on the right side of it. I’m stoked with that.

On paper, McCracken is one of Australia’s leading wheelchair racers but concedes the last year has been the hardest in his decorated career, making this medal feat extra sweet.

“Last year really sucked for a number of reasons, just some personal things going on, and I think I was 7^th or 8^th at Worlds and I didn’t think I would push on to Paris. To be on the podium, I’ll take that.”

It was heartbreak and elation all in one race for middle distance debutants Reece Langdon (VIC, Tim O’Shaughnessy) and Angus Hincksman (SA, Simon Moran) in the 1500m T38, as Langdon claimed bronze in a four-way showdown.

The Aussie duo led first and second throughout the first two laps of the race, keeping the pace slow and tactical, but the real battle began in the final 250-metres as Tunisia’s Amen Allah Tissaoui and Canadian world record holder Nathan Riech made their intensions clear.

In a sprint finish, it was the Tunisian that stamped his authority on the race, claiming gold in 4:12.91, Reich pipped Langdon by 0.01-seconds in 4:13.12. South Australian Hincksman was forced to settle for fourth, fading in the final 50-metres to cross the line in 4:14.14.

“It was amazing. Honestly, I wanted gold understandably. You want to do the best you possibly can, but I’m so happy I can at least bring home a bronze for Australia,” Langdon said.

“I will be the first to admit that tactically I made a lot of mistakes that I shouldn’t have – being boxed in. I am much quicker than that, but unfortunately the better athletes on the day won. I will learn from this and come back stronger and hopefully do better at the next Paralympics.”

Speaking with only respect for his competitors and compatriot, Langdon said there is much more to come from the Australian pair.

“I’ve been on a couple of training camps now with Angus. He’s a really good kid. Up and coming. Unfortunately he just missed out on the medals today. It would have been pretty cool to share a podium with him today but I’m sure there will be many more that we can share together.”

Rhiannon Clarke (WA, Danny Kevan) made it four Australian records from four races, when completing the 400m T38 final in 1:00.81 – narrowly missing out on the medals in a tight race.

Placing fifth in the race around one lap of the track, the global medallist was just 0.44-seconds away from her maiden Paralympic medal, as Colombia’s Karen Palomeque Moreno stole the show in a world record time of 58.67.

Paralympic bronze medallist Nick Hum (VIC, John Boas) ended his third Games campaign with a sixth place finish in the Long Jump T20 for athletes with an intellectual impairment, leaping to a best of 6.97m (-0.3) on his third attempt. Putting together a string of consistent performances with two fouls, Hum mustered up an enormous effort to finish his Parisian campaign strong with a season’s best.

The final day of competition commences tomorrow at 4pm AEST, as reigning champion Madison de Rozario takes on the roads of Paris in the Women’s Marathon T54.

Sascha Ryner, Athletics Australia