Swimmers Brenden Hall and Lakeisha Patterson have claimed Australia’s first two Paralympic medals in the space of 10 minutes.
Hall clinched his seventh Paralympic medal with bronze in the men’s S9 400m freestyle on Thursday at a packed out La Defense Arena in Paris.
Patterson had led her S9 400m freestyle race right up until the final lap where she was pipped to gold by Hungary’s Zsofia Konkoly and had to settle for silver.
“I could see her closing in that last 200 and I like a chase and thought I’d be able to get there tonight,” Patterson said.
“I certainly can’t complain, it’s my third Paralympics now and I’ve podiumed at all three Games and that’s a special feeling.”
Hall, meanwhile, made a late dash to claim bronze after missing out on medals at Tokyo.
The 31-year-old’s race was made all the more dramatic by French local Ugo Didier surging past Italy’s Simone Barlaam on the final stretch to claim gold.
“I was after a little bit of redemption, and I just wanted to come back with a medal this time,” Hall said.
“I didn’t care what colour it was and so to be able to do it in front of people who mean the most to me, that’s what made me feel it the most.”
The Steelers’ bid for Paralympic wheelchair rugby glory hangs by a thread after they slumped to defeat at the hands of Great Britain earlier on Thursday.
Australia were beaten 58-55 in their pool B opener at Champs-de-Mars Arena on Thursday and now face a daunting task to reach the semi-finals and contend for a medal.
The Steelers, who are ranked No.1 in the world and finished fourth in Tokyo, were neck and neck with the reigning gold medallists until GB pulled away at the start of the third quarter.
It means Australia now has little room for failure with wins against hosts France and Denmark needed to guarantee their qualification for the medal matches.
