01 Sep 2024
Five fantastic Paralympic Finals in Paris
On the last of three days of racing at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Regatta, it was time for the finals! The day started with the B finals for positions 7 to 12, and then it was time for the medal finals. A sell-out crowd was treated to a set of fantastic finals across the five boat classes.
PR1 women’s single sculls (PR1 W1x)
The much-anticipated first A final of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games got underway with a very rapid start for Isreal’s Moran Samuel, she was the fastest qualifier from the heats. The winner of the other heat, Ukraine’s Anna Sheremet, was chasing her hard though, as was the reigning Paralympic Champion, Birgit Skarstein of Norway! Towards the second half of the race, Samuel had established a very strong lead and was looking uncatchable whilst Sheremet was still leading Skarstein. Meanwhile, what could France’s Nathalie Benoit do – and could the French supporters lift her?
Approaching the final 500m, the reigning Paralympic Champion Skarstein made a huge move and was piling the pressure on Sheremet for the silver. This could still go any way! Skarstein overtook Sheremet but then here came Benoit – she drew up alongside Sheremet – the crowds were going wild! Sheremet briefly stopped rowing, it was over for her. Benoit was piling the pressure on Skarstein, but just run out of time. It was silver for Norway and bronze for France – and a dominant performance for Samuel to get gold.
Results: ISR, NOR, FRA, UKR, KOR, BRA
B-Final
It was a fast start for Switzerland’s Claire Ghiringhelli but then, a hugely decisive move from China’s Lili Wang. Wang made the A Final at Tokyo 2020, so a win in the B final was important today. Once she had established her lead, she continued to extend it and looked in a strong position all of the way to the finish where she claimed seventh place overall.
PR1 men’s single sculls (PR1 M1x)
This field was probably one of the most wide open of the five boat classes and the medals could go so many ways. The reigning Paralympic Champion Roman Polianskyi was looking to make history with back-to-back-to-back gold medals in this one. However, it was Italy and Great Britain that led out of the start – Giacomo Perini and Benjamin Pritchard. Polianskyi was sat in bronze medal position in the early stages.
Approaching the halfway marker, Perini was starting to come under pressure from Pritchard – this was going to be close! Into the third quarter of the race, Pritchard took the lead! He had the fastest boat speed across the field, but then Polianskyi lifted his rating too. Pritchard now had a couple of lengths of clear water. Nobody could catch him. It was gold for Great Britain, while Polianskyi had overhauled Perini to take silver.
Following the race, the ITA PR1 M1x was found to be in breach of Rule 28 and Appendix R2, Bye-Law to Rule 28. As a result, the crew was excluded from the event and will be ranked last. Italy has decided to appeal the decision.
Results: GBR, UKR, AUS, ISR, FRA, ITA
B-Final
It was a fast start for Spain’s Javier Garcia Martinez but not fast enough to stop Germany’s Marclus Klemp taking the early lead which he maintained throughout the race. Seventh place was a step up from 8th at Tokyo 2020 for Klemp. Meanwhile, there was fantastic support for Canada’s Jacob Wassermann who was making his international debut here in Paris.
PR2 mixed double sculls (PR2 Mix2x)
It was the Shuang Lio and Jihan Jiang of People’s Republic of China that took the early lead, narrowly ahead of Great Britain and Israel with France sitting in fourth. China continued to hold the lead at halfway and it was looking like a three boat race for the three medals, but the order was far from set.
In the third quarter, Great Britain was starting to take their rate up, trying to close the gap on China. They were gradually eating into their lead and there was overlap with 500m to go. China would need to respond now to hold on to the gold. The British were piling the pressure on into the closing stages, closing the gap every single stroke. GB may have timed it to perfection – they moved into the lead in the very final sprint to the line. China couldn’t respond! Lauren Rowles and Gregg Stevenson secured another gold for Great Britain. What a performance. It was silver for China, and bronze for Israel.
Results: GBR, CHN, ISR, UKR, FRA, POL
B-Final
The Dutch duo of Esther van der Loos and Corne de Koning took the initial lead in this race and were continuing to move away from the Irish crew with Turkiye in third place. There was no change in the places towards the line, the Netherlands confirming their win and seventh place overall, for what was their last race ever together.
PR3 mixed double sculls (PR3 Mix2x)
Australia led out the charge and Nikki Ayers and Jed Altschwager had the lead at 500m but Great Britain’s Annie Caddick and Sam Murray were hot on their heels with Germany’s Jan Helmich and Hermine Krumbein also keeping the pressure on! At halfway, GB looked to be drawing up level with Australia. Ayers and Altschwager responded, this wasn’t going to be easy.
There was a small amount of clear water back to Germany and it was looking like it would be those three taking the medals with just over 500m to go. Every time Great Britain pushed, Australia responded. Germany were starting to close in too. Australia was now looking set for gold – could GB hold on to silver? It was so close on the line – Murray and Caddick just managed to hold on to the silver ahead of Helmich and Krumbein, in a photo finish.
Results: AUS, GBR, GER, UKR, BRA, FRA
B-Final
The USA crew – Saige Harper and Todd Vogt – got out to a flying start and led the charge ahead of the chasing pack. The Americans gradually opened up more and more clear water, there was no catching them, they claimed seventh place overall.
PR3 mixed coxed four (PR3 Mix4+)
The very last race of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Regatta was underway! It was time to find out if anyone could finally challenge Great Britain. 250m into the race and all six crews were within half a length of each other. GB still up 40 strokes per minute. The USA was keeping Great Britain honest all of the way with France and Germany still both in the mix for medals into the second quarter of the race.
GB had half a length lead at halfway ahead of the USA with France in bronze medal position. Into the final quarter, it was looking good for the British although there was still overlap with the USA. As if it was ever in doubt, the winning streak Great Britain had held in this boat class since 2010 was to continue. It was another gold and they defended their title as Paralympic Champions. USA took the silver while the home supporters were delighted with a bronze for France, beating Germany to the line by 0.06 seconds.
Results: GBR, USA, FRA, GER, AUS, ITA
B-Final
China got out fast and there was nothing that any of the other three crews could do to catch them. Despite a fast final quarter from from Brazil, it just wasn’t enough. It was seventh overall for China.