Fifth for Blair
Jannik Blair’s hopes of Paralympic ‘redemption’ have been dashed by Japan’s wheelchair basketball team.
Blair, of Horsham, was a key part of the Australian Rollers’ Tokyo Paralympics team, considered a medal chance heading into the competition.
The Rollers had their sights set on a strong Tokyo campaign following a sixth-placed finish at the 2016 Rio Paralympics.
Blair competed in Rio and was also part of Australia’s silver-medal-winning wheelchair basketball team in London in 2012.
He was hoping to go one better in Tokyo, but the home side bundled the Australians out of medal contention in the quarter final.
The Japanese outfit took advantage of its more-fancied opponent’s wayward shooting to triumph 61-55.
Japan made it through to the gold medal match, falling short of USA in a thriller, 60-64.
Great Britain claimed bronze, getting the better of Spain 68-58.
Despite not making it through to the final day of play, the Rollers finished their campaign on a high note, defeating Turkey 74-58 to secure fifth place.