Aussie star's 48-year first, Vanessa Low heroics, Tim Hodge glory: What you missed of Paralympics while sleeping
PARIS: An Australian's 48-year multi-sport first, an emphatic Vanessa Low victory, Tim Hodge brilliance and superb scenes at the powerlifting venue defined day eight of the Paralympic Games.
Here's what you missed while you were sleeping.
Parker achieves 48-year first with cycling demolition
In April 2017, Lauren Parker was training as a professional triathlete when she was catapulted from her bike and crashed into a guardrail, leaving her with a long list of serious injuries including paralysis from the waist down.
But Parker refused to be defeated by the harrowing accident and was rewarded when she achieved a 48-year first in Paris, becoming the first Australian since 1976 to win gold medals across two different sports at the same Games.
Watch every moment, every medal of the Paralympic Games Paris 2024 live and free on Channel 9, 9Gem and 9Now. Plus, every event streaming ad free, live and on demand with 4K on Stan Sport.
Australia's Lauren Parker achieved a 48-year first when she road to glory on Thursday. Getty
The Newcastle product stormed to a monumental victory in the women's H1-4 road race in the French capital, finishing four minutes and 11 seconds ahead of her closest rival.
Three days earlier, she had manufactured a crushing triathlon victory, beating her closest chaser in the PTWC race by 92 seconds.
"Hard work pays off," Parker said after winning her second gold medal in Paris.
"I've put in a lot of hard work in training and my preparation, so I'm just so stoked that it has paid off, and I've come away with three medals at these Games and two golds."
Hodge becomes a solo Paralympic gold medallist
Australian swimmer Tim Hodge stared at his amputated right leg about two weeks after having it amputated at the age of four and made a heartbreaking remark.
"My mum came in to check on me [in bed] and I said, 'I don't think I'll be good at anything now'," Hodge told Wide World of Sports in January.
Almost 20 years later, in a sure sign he is very good at swimming, he become a solo Paralympic gold medallist.
Hodge raced to victory in the men's 200m individual medley SM9 at the Paris La Defense Arena, stopping the clock at two minutes, 13.31 seconds (2:13.31) and beating his closest rival by more than two seconds.
"It's a bit of a pinch-me moment," Hodge said.
"This has been so long in the making. My coach and I have worked so, so hard at this."
Low shatters world record, clinches third consecutive gold
In resounding fashion, German-born Australian long jumper Vanessa Low won her third Paralympic gold medal in succession.
The jump that secured gold in Paris was her first — a world-record leap of 5.45 metres.
She soaked up glory beside the runway with her husband and coach, Paralympic sprinting champion Scott Reardon, and their two-year-old baby boy, Matteo.
Powerlifter's mighty effort
Remarkable ability, tenacity and passion were on display when an Egyptian powerlifter captured gold with a lift more than three times his body weight.
Mohamed Elmenyawy competes in the men's 59kg category, but he secured gold with a 201kg lift.
Anxiety was written all over his face when he completed the lift and looked up at the board.
When the lift was ticked off, he erupted with elation.
Incredibly, however, Elmenyawy did not set a new world or Paralympic record; those marks still belong to Egypt's Sherif Osman, who took gold with a 211kg lift at Rio 2016.
Watch every moment, every medal of the Paralympic Games Paris 2024 live and free on Channel 9, 9Gem and 9Now. Plus, every event streaming ad free, live and on demand with 4K on Stan Sport.
Alcott adds 'flare' to special tradition
Dylan Alcott, the retired Australian Paralympic icon, took up a special honour and added his much-loved pizzaz.
The wheelchair tennis and wheelchair basketball legend returned to the red clay of Roland-Garros and carried out the Les Trois Coups — the three coups — to officially open the day's wheelchair tennis action.
Three blows made to the ground using a piece of wood, in most cases by former or current athletes or celebrities, reverberate throughout each venue before the event begins for the day.
The Roland-Garros crowd gave a warm ovation when Alcott appeared on Court Philippe Chatrier.
They then watched on as he tapped the clay with the stick twice, threw in an imaginary serve, and tapped the ground another two times.
"No surprises there, a little Alcott flare," said Nine presenter Sylvia Jeffreys.
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