NO MEDAL FOR TASSIE’S PARALYMPIC HERO
TASMANIA’S first three-time Paralympian delivered the interview of the Tokyo Games following a controversial F20 shot put final Tuesday night.
On a rain-soaked evening Todd Hodgetts — the gold medallist in London and bronze medallist from Rio in 2016 — unofficially finished seventh in the drama filled event. The 33-year-old was among three throwers, including reigning champion and runaway leader Malaysian Muhammad Zolkefli, competing under protest having initially been told they could not take part for being late to the call room where athletes assemble before their event.
Hodgetts, Zolkefli and fifthplaced Jordi Congo Villalba, of Ecuador, protested the decision and were allowed to compete but were subsequently listed as “did not start” on the official results. Paralympics Australia appealed the decision. Hodgetts consistently improved his distance over his first four throws from 15.23m to 15.41m, and after a debatable foul in the penultimate round, finished with a 15.48m effort.
However it was his post event interview that captured the imagination of the public.
“I’m good, it’s not over at all. I’m going to keep going, I’d die for this, I put my body on the line, it is not over,” Hodgetts said. “[Shot put means] everything, it saved my life. All those knockers out there, kept on knocking me, I came back and represented my country. This is the best nation in the world, I love it. I was going for it today, warm up went well, I just didn’t time it. It got wet but I kept on improving. I’m going to go on to Brisbane, I’ll be 44. I’m going to die for this country like our Anzacs did. The world record holder was 44 when he got a PB. Nothing is impossible in this world.”