Tokyo 2020 Paralympics: GB’s Dunn wins swimming gold with world record – as it happened | Sport

We’ll be back tomorrow with all the day eight action from Tokyo, with another stuffed programme including fireworks in the Olympic Stadium sandpit as the “Blade Jumper”, Germany’s Markus Rehm, takes to the runway. Thanks for joining us today!

1 China 62 golds 38 silvers 32 bronzes (132 medals overall)
2 Great Britain 29 golds 23 silvers 28 bronzes (80)
3 RPC 25 golds 16 silvers 33 bronzes (74)
4 United States 24 golds 24 silvers 15 bronzes (63)
5 Ukraine 15 golds 33 silvers 19 bronzes (67)
6 Brazil 14 golds 11 silvers 17 bronzes (42)
7 Netherlands 14 golds 9 silvers 9 bronzes (32)
8 Australia 13 golds 21 silvers 20 bronzes (54)
9 Italy 11 golds 18 silvers 14 bronzes (43)
10 Azerbaijan 10 golds 1 silver 4 bronzes (15)

A much prettier representation can be found on our dedicated page …

In the final events on the track today … China’s Fenfen Jiang took gold in the T37 women’s 400m, winning in a new national record of 1min 1.36sec, just 0.12sec clear of Natalia Kobzar of the Ukraine, who put in a personal best. Sheryl James, representing South Africa, took the bronze in another PB.

Before that came the heats of the T12 men’s 400m – Noah Malone was the fastest qualifier for the US in a new Games and national record of 48.50, with Mahdi Afri of Morocco, Rouay Jebabli of Tunisia and another Moroccan, the world-record holder Abdeslam Hili, also well inside 49 seconds and making it through to Thursday’s final.

Greetings. Stuart here to mop up the rest of the day seven action.

First of all, here’s Paul MacInnes on Columba Blango’s T20 400m bronze medal for ParalympicsGB …

“That was hard,” said Columba Blango. The heat had broken and the rain was coming down on the Tokyo Olympic Stadium, but in only the second international competition of his career the 29-year-old from Peckham Primark had won a bronze medal. “It’s my first Paralympic Games, so I plan to make more Paralympic Games in future,” he said. “I can take this experience with me knowing that I’ve actually done something, so this is major on my part as well.”

Blango’s story is a rich one. He is the son of a former decathlete who competed for Sierra Leone at the Moscow Olympics but went on to become the mayor of Southwark. Suffering blood clots on his brain at birth, Blango could not speak until the age of six. He now competes in the T20 category for athletes with intellectual impairments, but studied for a degree in tourism at Greenwich University. He also works at the fast fashion retailer to support his training and, yes, he can run a mean 400m.

Blango finished in a personal best time of 47.81, two hundredths of a second behind the French winner Charles-Antoine Koukakou, after a storming finish down the straight took him right through the pack. It looked from a distance as if another 10m would have given him victory, but Blango was not so sure. “I don’t know. Anything can happen in the race,” he said. “All I know is I saw the people in front of me – five people, I believe – and I thought: ‘I can still catch them.’”

Read more here …

ParalympicsGB’s Jordanne Whiley is through to the semi-finals of the women’s singles wheelchair tennis. The fourth seed saw off the USA’s Dana Mathewson in three sets, coming from 5-1 down in the final set to clinch a comeback victory. Whiley broke down in tears at her win, and will look to better the bronze Paralympic medal she won at 2012 and 2016. Keith, who was also a Paralympian and won a bronze medal in 1984 in New York.

In the semi finals, Whiley will face the Netherlands’ Diede de Groot, the world No 1 who is a fearsome opponent. De Groot has won all four of the last singles majors and two of the last three doubles titles in majors. Gulp!

Hello everyone. First bit of business to catch you up on is Oksana Masters, who has had the most remarkable story: overcoming birth defects thought to be from the aftermath of Chernobyl, the world’s worst nuclear accident, issues within Ukrainian orphanages as a child, adoption to the US,

Her victory in the H4-5 hand-cycle time trial means she is one of just 28 athletes to have won gold at both the Winter and Summer Paralympics, having previously won two golds in cross-country skiing at the 2018 Paralympics in Pyeongchang. This is made all the more ridiculous given she had a tumor removed from her femur in late May and dislocated her elbow in 2018. Truly, an amazing human.

For more background, do read our interview with Masters last year.

The rain is tipping down at the athletics stadium, but Lisbelia Marina Vera Andrade does not seem to mind at all. She receives her gold medal for her 100 metres win and looks like she’s on cloud nine.

Competition is mostly over for the evening. There are some men’s 400m T12 heats, and the last big event is the women’s 400m T37 final. Netherlands are smashing Japan in the women’s wheelchair basketball quarterfinal. There are a couple of table tennis quarters going on, and a couple more throws in the men’s F32 shot put.

We never know the story behind every athlete who we see, but this one is extraordinary.

If you’re not up to date on the latest storey added to Dame Sarah’s tower of gold.

The Australian star produces a brilliant finish – she’s back in fourth place and boxed in by the line as they come around the final bend, but she goes the long way around to the outside and burns home to reach the medals. Can’t catch the front two, where Manuela Schaer and Zhou Zouqian were locked together. The Swiss racer had front spot for most of the race, but the Chinese racer has the finishing speed to take her at the close.

High jump: Gold for Sam Grewe of the USA in the men’s T63 leaping. Doesn’t touch his own world record of 1.90, but is happy with 1.88 to win. And India will be rapt with silver and bronze, if the reaction to javelin silver and bronze was anything to by.

Mariyappan Thangavelu jumps 1.86 for silver, Sharad Kumar 1.83 for bronze.

Athletics: In other results, the USA’s Breanna Clark beats her own world record in the women’s 400m T20 race. Her time is 55.18, ahead of Ukraine’s Yuliia Shuliar, and Brazil’s Jardenia Felix Barbosa de Silva.

And more for Ukraine, with gold and silver in the men’s F20 shot put. Maksym Koval also produces a world record, with 17.34 metres ahead of his compatriot Oleksandr Yarovyi. Bronze for Greece, with Efstratios Nikolaidis.

How about this for a gold medal performance? Hungarian jumper Luca Ekler already held the world record in the women’s T38 category. That was 5.51m. Tonight, she breaks her world record with her first jump, 5.60m. Then breaks it again with her second jump, 5.63m. Doesn’t need to do much more than that, frankly.

The Russian Margarita Goncharova jumps 5.29 for silver, while Great Britain’s Breen jumps 4.91 for bronze.

Wheelchair tennis: The quad singles defence is on for Alcott. He was tested today, he was questioned today, and he comes through at the last. Puts Vink in a position where the Dutchman has to try a huge lofted return, and it carries past the baseline. They meet at the net and embrace, and it’s extremely emotional – there are tears from Vink, and Alcott has his arms around him, rubbing his head, telling him over and over that he played so well. Vink really did come close to unseating the best that there is, and he feels the hurt of that more than the pride. After spending some time courtside with his head in his towel, he emerges to make a heart sign to his supporters in the stand. Alcott is just rolling around the court in disbelief almost, beaming in all directions.

Wheelchair tennis: … which Alcott saves, just landing his serve in by a centimetre, then hitting a backhand winner down the line.

Wheelchair tennis: Now Alcott hits into the net and Vink has a break point…

Wheelchair tennis: An incredible rally and Vink saves match point. About 20 shots back and forth, Alcott makes a couple of returns when they looked gone, but eventually the Dutchman brings it to deuce by working Alcott so wide that his backhand hits the umpire’s chair.

Wheelchair tennis: Match point comes up as Alcott controls the point beautifully, working Vink around the court.

Wheelchair tennis: Alcott serving for the match, but Vink wins the first two points to reach 0-30. Hits one wide to give a point back to Alcott, who then produces a great volley that gives Vink little chance. 30-30.

Table tennis: Spicy. William Bayley and Paul Karabardak form the Great Britain team in the men’s Class 6-7 team draw, and they’ve beaten the Australians in their quarterfinal. Trevor Hirth and Jake Ballestrino are out. I think that making a semifinal in table tennis means you get a bronze medal either way, which Bayley could add to his silver from the singles.

Wheelchair tennis: Not exactly a lift, but a couple of unforced errors give Alcott two break points against Vink… and the Dutchman concedes the game! Hits one long, and Alcott has a 5-4 lead and will serve for the match.

Wheelchair tennis: Dylan Alcott is not having an easy day of it! Has to save break point with games level in the third set. And he does, to square the set at 4-4, but he led by a break earlier and let it slip. Needs to lift, the champ.

Athletics: The third 100m race is the T47, for runners with an upper limb impairment. And it is a sensational dip on the line that takes the race for Lisbelia Marina Vera Andrade. Brittni Mason of the USA holds the world record over this distance, she got a great start, and she led right up to the line. But somehow Vera Andrade got within distance to strike. The result takes a couple of minutes to come through, and the difference is thousandths of a second. Mason is upset, Vera Andrade is whooping and hollering in the pouring rain.

Deja Young takes bronze for the USA.

We have three women’s 100m races in quick succession. The T11 just earlier, now the T13 for less severe visual impairment. Adiaratou Igelsias Forneiro wins it, Lamiya Valiyeva (Azerbaijan) silver, Kym Crosby (USA) bronze.

Wheelchair tennis: Vink has three break points to get games back level in the third set against Alcott… and converts! This is getting tense.

Boccia: Great Britain has at least a silver guaranteed, after Smith beats Jose de Oliveira of Brazil in the BC1 semifinal.

Athletics: It’s been rain on the running track, and the T11 women’s 100m runners have to do it in the wet. Linda Patricia Perez Lopez wins the gold for Venezuela. She’s the Diesel Williams of the 100 metres.

Liu Cuiqing wins silver for China, Thalita Simplicio de Silva bronze. The other Brazilian runner doesn’t finish: Jerusa Geber dos Santos had her tether to her guide break – this is a vision-impaired race – and couldn’t continue. Really sad.

Wheelchair tennis: Alcott breaks serve early in the third set! Gets big cheers from the Australian athlete contingent as he leads 2-0.

Athletics: A Dutch sandwich (is that a tax evasion technique?) in the women’s 200m T64. Marlene van Gansewinkel gets the gold, Kimberley Alkemade the bronze, either side of Irmgard Bensuan for Germany. Keeping it Teutonic.

Wheelchair basketball: China dust Great Britain’s women 47-33 in the quarterfinals.

Wheelchair tennis: Vink wins the second set in the quad singles. Dylan Alcott is not invincible.

Swimming: This is the vision-impaired mixed relay, two men and two women per team. Brazil send their two male swimmers first to build a lead. The Russians have their female swimmers second and third. Ukraine have their men second and fourth. They send Anna Stesenko third, their speedster, and Kyrylo Garashchenko last to chase down the leaders.

It nearly works. Brazil has a big lead with three swimmers done, but the Russians starts to reduce it. For Ukraine, Stetsenko puts Garashchenko in a good position through the third leg, and he then eats up a lot more ground during his first lap. During the final lap he’s charging home between Maria Gomes Santiago and Vladimiar Sotnikov. Brazil drop from gold to silver, Garashchenko ramapges, but Gomes Santiago hangs tough and touches before him.

RPC gold, Brazil silver, Ukraine bronze.

Wheelchair tennis: Alcott holds serve, but still trails 4-3 in the second set. Won the first.

Athletics: Gold for Mexico in the men’s 400m T38. Jose Chessani Garcia crosses well clear of Mohamad Farhat Chida (Tunisia) and Zachary Gingras (Canada).

Wheelchair tennis: Vink has broken serve against Alcott in the second set. He’s up 4-2, and has deuce on Alcott’s serve right now. Interesting.

Swimming: Sophie Pascoe already holds the world record in the 100m freestyle S9 from a couple of years ago, so it’s not exactly a surprise that she should win, but it’s a big result for New Zealand. She’s ahead of Spain’s Sarai Gascon, and Brazil’s Mariana Ribeiro.

Swimming: Bronze in the men’s S10 final, then silver in the women’s. Jasmine Greenwood swims an excellent race to finish just behind Mikaela Jenkins of the USA. Chantalle Zijderveld takes bronze for Netherlands. First medal of the Games for Greenwood and Jenkins, while Zijderveld previously won gold in the 100m breaststroke and two silvers in the 100m and 50m freestyle.

Athletics: The track and the pool are operating side by side tonight. Charles-Antoine Kouakou takes the first gold of the Tokyo evening session, the men’s T20 intellectual disability division. He wasn’t in the running turning into the home straight, but threw out huge strides in those last 50 metres to charge past Luis Felipe Rodriguez Bolivar (Venezuela) and Columba Blango (Great Britain) for the gold.

Swimming: The men’s S10 category sees Col Pearce swim in third. No chance of catching Maksym Krypak, as the Ukrainian busts the old world record and sets 54.15. Stefano Raimondi wins silver for Italy.

Table tennis: Australia wins the teams quarterfinal against France in Class 9-10. Ma Lin and Joel Coughlan are through to a semi.

Not so much luck for Great Britain’s team of Ashley Facey Thompson and Joshua Stacey, who go down to China 2-0.

Wheelchair tennis: Alcott has taken the first set against Vink.

Swimming: The women’s 100m freestyle S7 goes to Giulia Terzi, another swimming gold for Italy. Overall Italy has 11 gold, 17 silver and 14 bronze at the games. Silver in this race goes to McKenzie Coan of the States.

Bronze is a dead heat! Ukraine gets one thanks to Yelyzaveta Mereshko, who touches at exactly the same time as Yuyan Jiang from China. They are both S6 athletes, though this race also contains S7 swimmers. Both the gold and silver medallists were S7, and Terzi has set a new Games record for the S7 category, but Mereshko and Yuyan have set a new world record for S6 swimmers.

Quite the podium then. Coan won the 400 metres at these Games, Mereshko already has two gold and a silver. so three gold medallists on the podium here. Terzi already had a gold and two silver, and Yuyan had a gold and a bronze. So, four swimers, three new Games record-holders, and everyone up there is a Tokyo gold medallist in at least one event.

Wheelchair basketball: The Great British women’s team are not having a good comp. They won only once in the four pool matches, made the quarters anyway because of the rather generous qualification scheme where eight out of ten teams make it through, and now they’re down 23-10 to China in the second quarter.

Wheelchair tennis: The Australian champion – Rio 2016, seven Australian Opens, three French, three Wimbledon, two US Open – is up in his semifinal against the Dutchman Niels Vink. Alcott leading on serve 4-3 in the first set.

Boccia: Great Britain’s Scott McCowan loses his BC3 semifinal to Grigorios Polychronidis from Greece.

Swimming: A Ukraine sandwich in the men’s 50 freestyle S7, with Andrii Trusov gold and Yevhenii Bohodaiki bronze, either side of the Colombian Carlos Serrano Zarate.

Swimming: In the women’s 50m breaststroke SB3, Marta Infante Fernandez comes in first. She took silver in the 50 butterfly, and she’s sitting poolside in streams of tears at winning gold. Natalia Butkova of the RPC gets silver, while Mexico score another medal with Nely Miranda Herrera’s bronze.

Swimming: Anulfo Castorena wins gold in the 50m breaststroke, the SB2 category. This bloke first achieved the feat in Sydney 2000. He won again in Athens. Didn’t swim in Beijing. Won silver in London. Came sixth in Rio. Now he’s back again, at the age of 43, to win in Tokyo. Remarkable.

Patterson’s first Games was London, but he’s never won a medal. Now he has. Jesus Hernandez with bronze completes a medal sandwich for Mexico.

Football: Argentina win 3-0 over Thailand in the men’s group match.