Weekend tinged with gold
Track and field athletes impress as New Zealand wraps up Tokyo Paralympic Games
I’m really proud of myself for bringing it out on the last round and managing to get that gold. Holly
Robinson Javelin gold medallist
The New Zealand Paralympic team finished the Tokyo Paralympic Games in spectacular fashion, with two gold medals capping off a very successful campaign in Japan. Anna Grimaldi retained her Rio 2016 women’s long jump T47 title, and Holly Robinson fulfilled a dream, leapfrogging her competition on her last throw in the women’s Javelin T64 to finally win a coveted gold.
The team finished with six gold, three silver and three bronze medals, for a total of 12 medals. New Zealand has now won a total of 233 medals since its first appearance at the Tel Aviv 1968 Paralympic Games, 53 years ago.
Nineteen of those Paralympic medals have been won through the exceptional performances of New Zealand’s most decorated Paralympian, Sophie Pascoe, over the past four Paralympics. A total of 18 Para athletes made their debut in Japan and are now officially New Zealand Paralympians.
Lisa Adams was New Zealand’s final Paralympian to feature at the Tokyo Games, competing in the Women’s discus throw F38 and placing seventh with a best throw of 29.6m. Gold went to Mi Na (China) with a world record throw of 38.50m.
Adams said: “I’m all good with how I went tonight. It was fun and I wanted to make top 8 and we did that finishing 7th. I wanted to throw over 30 metres but I did not do it tonight and that is the game we play. It was wet out there, a bit slippery but they had towels and you make do with what you have.
“We have trained in the rain for situations like this, you know it just is what it is. We do not train as much for discus as we do shot and discus is our fun event.
Adams already won a gold in the Women’s Shot Put F37 final on Day 4, a spectacular performance from the Paralympic debutant. She entered the competition ranked first in the world and as current world record holder.
In other results on the final day, shooter Michael Johnson finished 13th in the final of the R9 mixed 50 metre rifle.
Canoe sprinter Scott Martlew came in eighth in the final of the men’s VL3 200 metres.
Meanwhile, Robinson, who pulled out the gold medal throw on her last attempt, said: “I feel relieved at the moment. Honestly that last throw I couldn’t quite believe it. And realising in that moment that was the gold medal, it is just something I have wanted for so long and it is finally here.
“I’ve been fighting and fighting for this for so long, comps of late have not gone that well for me and then we had Covid hit. Getting that gold means a lot because we have worked so hard to get it. Today I don’t really think the distance reflected where I’m at or what I am capable of. I’m really proud of myself for bringing it out on the last round and managing to get that gold.”
Robinson referred to Anna Grimaldi’s success earlier in the day saying: “Go Dunedin, and Hokitika as that is where I am from. We have the same team behind us through High Performance Sport NZ and they have helped to get us to where we are. We can’t wait to get home and celebrate with those people who have helped us to get here today.”