Paralympics: Martin gets his shot-put gold

By GREG ANSLEY

SYDNEY - New Zealand's fourth Paralympic gold medal was confirmed yesterday after a protest by the United States failed to strip Hamilton's Peter Martin of victory in the F53 shot put on Thursday.

Martin's medal ceremony was blocked by a dramatic last-minute American bid to retain the medal for their disqualified athlete, Val Don Jacobson, who was ruled ineligible for the F53 class after beating the New Zealander.

The ceremony went ahead last night.

Jacobson had been classified in America, but not by Paralympic officials, who were alerted by Mexico before Thursday's competition to his apparent ineligibility for the F53 class.

It is understood that Jacobson had considerable use of his torso - unlike Martin and others in the class - which allowed him greater thrust in the shot.

Classifiers who watched him compete confirmed he should not be an F53 athlete.

The US appeal was apparently based on the classifiers' decision to allow Jacobson to complete the event rather than stopping him after the first round.

New Zealand chef de mission Dave Currie said the confirmation of Martin's gold was wonderful news, but he could understand the United States bid to retain gold for Jacobson.

"That's the process and I guess if I was the Americans I would have protested too."

In other events, Hamilton's John Dowall - who won gold in the javelin and silver in the shot put - finished eighth in the F44 discus yesterday.

In the pool, Christchurch swimmer Hadleigh Pierson recorded a personal best time in his heat but failed to make the final.

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