The Australian duo of Jed Altschwager and Nikki Ayers won Australia’s first-ever para-rowing gold medal at the Paralympics. The pair won the PR3 Mixed Double sculls event.
Australia’s gold in para-rowing
At Vaires-sur-Marne, Altschwager and Ayers led the entire two-kilometre race to finish in a time of seven minutes and 26 seconds, edging out rowing powerhouse Great Britain by under two seconds. Their Paralympic success follows a gold medal at last year’s world championships. Germany won the bronze medal.
Bronze medal
Earlier in the day, four-time Paralympian Erik Horrie won a bronze medal in the PR1 men’s single sculls. Horrie finished the race in fourth but was upgraded to third after Italian rower Giacomo Perini was found to have breached the rules by having a mobile phone in his boat. Horrie has now won a medal at every Paralympics since 2012 (three silvers and a bronze).
What they said
After the race, Nikki Ayers said: “It’s hurting right now, but it was totally worth it. [The medal is a symbol of hope and never giving up on your dreams. For every person out there with a disability, male, female, everyone, never give up and keep striving for your dreams and it’ll come true.”
Erik Horrie said: “To be able to come away with a bronze is something that wasn’t expected. I’ve been very lucky and very honoured to receive what I have to date.”
