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DAVIDSON wins GOLD in long jump

Published Tue 13 Sep 2016

Australian athletics’ gold medal drought at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games is over, with Brayden Davidson (SA) etching his name into the history books in the men’s T36 long jump for athletes with cerebral palsy.

Davidson, aged just 18, was unaffected by the occasion and soared to a new personal best of 5.62m in the first round to claim his spot atop the podium in a new Paralympic Record. The result improves upon his bronze medal at the Doha 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships, with his series today almost faultless – 5.62m, 5.35m, 5.39m, 5.57m, 5.39m and a foul.

Inspired by his late grandparents, who first encouraged him to take up para-sport, Davidson was emotional after the event, "Nana, grandad, I did it," he said.

"They were massive supporters of me, my nanna was the one that gave me the dream of even going to the Paralympics."

Winning the gold on countback over Brazilian Rodrigo Parreira da Silva, with one centimetre being all that separated the top three medallists.

"Me and Rodrigo (were) just pushing each other to the absolute limit."

Davidson dedicated his victory to his grandparents. "Later on tonight when all the excitement dies down, I shall just sit by myself and take some time. I will just look up and have a think," he said.

In an exciting day for the Australians, Rheed McCracken (Qld) backed up his London 2012 silver medal in the T36 wheelchair 100m with yet another second spot on the podium at Rio 2016.

Edged out for gold by Walid Ktila (TUR), McCracken clocked 15.34 to launch his Rio 2016 campaign in style and with a start in the two-lap 800m to come in the following days.

In other results from day five:
-          Kurt Fearnley (NSW) advanced on time to the final of the men’s T54 wheelchair 1500m. Clocking 3:05.47 to place fourth in heat three, he boasts the fastest result of those that did not progress automatically.
-          Evan O’Hanlon won his heat of the men’s T38 100m for athletes with cerebral palsy to advance to the final as fastest. He crossed the line in 11.25.
-          Madison de Rozario (WA) stopped the clock at 3:31.54 to place second in her heat of the women’s T54 wheelchair 1500m. She will automatically progress to the final.
-          The youngest member of the Australian athletics team at Rio 2016, Tamsin Colley (NSW) clocked 37.80 in her heat of the T36 100m for athletes with cerebral palsy and did not progress to the final.

Australia has now won eleven medals, including one gold, in athletics at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

For more information on the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, please visit the Rio Rumba hub at athletics.com.au.