Big guns ready to fire as Low and Turner look to continue golden reign

World record holders and reigning Paralympic champions will take centre stage on Super Saturday at the World Para Athletics Championships, as Vanessa Low and James Turner get ready to fire, while Maria Strong goes for gold number two at Charlety Stadium in Paris.

The last time spectators saw long jump world record holder Low (ACT, Scott Reardon) on the world stage, the 32-year-old raised the T61 world record three times during competition in Tokyo, sealing a second Paralympic gold in front of husband and compatriot Scott Reardon.

Since then life has taken many wonderful twists and turns for the duo, as the German-born Australian gets ready to make her first appearance in the green and gold as a mother to 11-month-old Matteo with her husband by her side as coach.

“It’s been really rewarding returning to the sport as a parent. When I decided to give parenting and training a go, we didn’t know how it was going to go but we gave it a shot and here we are,” Low said.

Low has made the Paris World Championships a family affair, taking on the Long Jump T63 with her family in the stands as she builds back to her form that saw her clinch the Paralympic title with a 5.28m landing.

“I really try to keep an open mind as to what was going to happen. No one really knows how the recovery after birth goes and how my body was going to react to it. I knew it was going to look very different but to be here is an absolute bonus and I definitely don’t take it for granted,” she says.

While Low’s comeback to full fitness lifts, so does the standard of the class, as the Australian takes on Italian competitor Martina Caironi who owns the T63 world record of 5.46m, set in June of 2022.

Back on the track today will be eight time gold medalist Turner (ACT, Iryna Dvoskina)who returns to complete a fairy tale ending to his Paris campaign. While the 400m T36 crown might have come with ease, there is much pressure on the Canberran native who suffered defeat for the first time in his career when claiming silver in the 100m T36 at the Tokyo Games. Cruising through yesterday’s heats as the second fastest qualifier in 12.18 (-3.4), Turner is looking forward to putting his foot on the accelerator and getting the job done.

Switching from the track to the field after claiming the first gold medal for Australia in Paris Maria Strong (VIC, John Eden) makes their return to Charlety Stadium in the Shot Put F33 final. The Paralympic bronze medallist in the event, Strong goes in with a career best of 6.63m putting a second medal in contention.The Victorian will face the likes of Morrocco’s Paralympic silver medallist Fouzia El Kassioui and Rio 2016 gold medallist Asmahane Boudjadar (Algeria) who will be out to claim the title.

Perth local Jackson Hamilton (WA, Morgan Ward) will celebrate his international debut as he hits the runway for the Javelin F13 Final today. The vision-impaired 20-year-old will lean on his body awareness and feeling as well as other senses such as hearing to assess his six throws over the series. Competing in a compact field, Hamilton’s capacity to produce his best on the big stage will define his bid for a dream debut medal.

Mali Lovell (NSW, Katie Edwards & Melinda Gainsford-Taylor) and Abby Craswell (QLD, Andrew Craswell) both advanced to tonight’s 200m T36 Final after a shortage of athletes at final call saw those in attendance progress. Lovell looms as one of the surprises of the day as the 19-year-old gains a look at her preferred event, seeded second in the field this year, the teenager has her mind focussed on running “fast and strong” - with the rest to take care of itself.

Team co-captain Angie Ballard (ACT, Fred Periac) placed fourth in the 800m T53 and will return for a second event when contesting her favoured distance, the 400m T53 final. A stalwart of the sport, the former world record holder will look to emulate the form that reaped fifth place in 57.61 at the Tokyo Games.

Wheelchair sprinters Samuel Carter (ACT, Fred Periac) and Luke Bailey (NSW, Andrew Dawes) will be out to change the cohort’s fortunes when racing for a lane in today’s 100m T54 Final, first encountering the semi-finals.

Carter will be eyeing off more than a place in the evening’s final, having finished just short of the podium with 14.12 for fourth at the Dubai 2019 edition, while Bailey will be out for redemption, having narrowly missed out on a finals berth in the 400m T54. Australian record holder in the 100m T52, Sam McIntosh (VIC, Fred Periac) will look to improve on his string of swift performances in 2023 with a push for a spot in Sunday’s final.

Australian audiences can tune in to the World Para Athletics Championships live and free on 9Now from 5pm AEST.

By Sascha Ryner, Athletics Australia
Posted: 15/7/2023