Pascoe romps to gold – now she’s after more treasure
Sophie Pascoe insists she’ll be good to go in pursuit of a second Commonwealth Games gold medal on the Gold Coast.
The Kiwi para-swim star won gold in the women’s SW10 200m individual medley on Saturday night but required assistance after the race, while also injuring a finger.
‘‘Just finished training and I’ve recovered well from a hard race last night,’’ Pascoe said yesterday.
‘‘Just exhausted and full of lactic acid after 200 IM. Just all hit me at once when I finished the race and pool side interview.
‘‘Once I got some energy/sugar back into me I bounced back alright.’’
Pascoe was also checked out by the team doctor after hitting her hand during a turn in the final.
‘‘It’s just a sprained finger, not affecting my prep for [Monday],’’ Pascoe said.
Pascoe landed New Zealand’s first swimming gold medal of the 2018 Games but wasn’t overly satisfied. Her time of 2min 27.72secs saw her head home rival Aurelie Rivard of Canada by more than four seconds.
‘‘It wasn’t the time I wanted but a win is a win,’’ Pascoe said. ‘‘It was bittersweet there seeing the time but that’s what racing is about I gave it everything I could.’’
‘‘I was in great spirits going into the final so to see the time (two minutes 27.72 seconds) and not come out with what I wanted is a bit disappointing.
‘‘This was for New Zealand. I’ve got to recover now and come back on Monday.
‘‘I know I’ve got a lot to improve to achieve what I want to in Tokyo. That’s the beauty of sport. I may not have achieved exactly what I wanted to tonight; I got the gold, yes, but we’ve got a lot to work on and I’m hungry to do that.’’
Earlier on Saturday, Kiwi teenager Lewis Clareburt finished seventh in the men’s 200m butter- fly final, a day after winning bronze in the 400m individual medley.
Clareburt recorded a highly impressive time of 1:58.51s in a race won in dominant fashion by South African star Chad le Clos.
In the second men’s 100m freestyle semifinal, NZ’s Daniel Hunter was fifth and qualified for the final in eighth spot in a time of 49.11, with fellow Kiwis Matt Stanley and Sam Perry missing out in the first semi.
In the women’s 50m butterfly, NZ’s Helena Gasson was sixth in her semifinal in 27.19 to miss out on making the final.
Jesse Reynolds was fourth in the men’s SB8 100m backstroke final, with fellow Kiwi Celyn Edwards sixth.