Paralympics: Proud athlete to keep gold

SYDNEY - Canadian wheelchair athlete Chantal Petitclerc will keep her Paralympics gold medal for the T54 800m after a court overturned an earlier decision to rerun the race, which was marred by a spectacular crash.

Petitclerc upset Australian Louise Sauvage, unbeaten on the track in eight years, in the final on Sunday at the Sydney Paralympics, but at the back other wheelchair athletes crashed in the first 200m.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned the referee's decision to rerun the race.

"The only official with any power to decide what should happen when there is a collision within 200m of the start is the starter," the court said in a statement upholding the Canadian appeal.

Ireland's Patrice Dockery was disqualified for the interference which caused the crash as Sauvage and Petitclerc fought out a thrilling duel clear of the pack.

Petitclerc and Sauvage will clash again in the T54 1500m final at the Olympic Stadium.

The Canadians had suggested if the rerun went ahead, Petitclerc might not front because of her heavy competition schedule at the Games.

"I'm thrilled," Petitclerc said yesterday in an official team statement. "This is a proud moment for me. I look forward to being able to focus on racing. I'm glad that fair play has prevailed."

Canada chef de mission Wayne Hellquist said the court had "righted a wrong."

His Australian counterpart, Paul Bird, said he was relieved the issue had been dealt with and that Sauvage, who admitted on Sunday she had simply been beaten by the better competitor on the night, could focus fully on her training.

"She's just getting on with the competition that she planned for," Bird said.

Sauvage, the World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability, lit the Paralympics flame at the opening ceremony on October 18.

* Blenheim cyclist Mark Inglis hopes to be "jumping out of his skin" by the time today's 55km road race comes around. He is aiming to go one better than his silver medal effort last week in the kilo time trial.

- REUTERS

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