Holly Robinson claimed bronze in the women's F46 shot put at the Paralympic Games in Paris. Photo / Getty Images
Holly Robinson claimed bronze in the women's F46 shot put at the Paralympic Games in Paris. Photo / Getty Images
Another double medal day for New Zealand at the Paralympic Games.
Holly Robinson has claimed her first Paralympic Games shot put medal, finishing third in the women’s F46 competition in Paris. That was followed by a second silver for Danielle Aitchison who doubled up on her 200m T36 medal, with a second-placed finish in the 100m T36 final.
In Robinson’s fourth Games, but competing in the shot put event for the first time, Robinson finished with a best throw of 11.88m to claim the third step on the podium. She was bettered only by American Noelle Malkamaki, whose winning mark of 14.06m was a world record, and Ukrainian Mariia Shpatkivska, who counted a 12.35m throw.
“I’m pretty pleased with the medal, I’m not that pleased with my distance,” Robinson told TVNZ after the event.
“I know I’m capable of far more but it’s what you can do on the day and that’s what I did and got the bronze, so I’m pretty stoked.”
It was Robinson’s third Games medal, with a gold and a silver in the women’s F46 javelin events at the Tokyo (2021) and Rio de Janeiro (2016) Games respectively.
The result comes off the back of the 29-year-old’s silver medal in the discipline at this year’s world championships in Kobe, where she threw an Oceania record of 12.25m.
The final got off to a nervy start for Robinson in the 15-strong field. She didn’t execute with her first throw and stepped over the toe board to have her effort scrubbed from the ledger.
She bounced back with her second throw, jumping right up into medal contention with an 11.46m effort. She continued to build her case for a medal, with three of her final four throws being better than the one that preceded it; her bronze medal-winning mark of 11.88m coming with her final throw of the event.
Robinson said she felt like her first throw of the event was “a beauty” before she stepped over the board.
“That’s the one that got away. Just a few timing issues, but hey, it’s what you can put out there and the throw that I put out there won me bronze so it’s pretty cool.”
Robinson will have a chance to add to her medal count on Saturday when she competes in the women’s F46 javelin event.
Second silver for Danielle Aitchison
Aitchison claimed her fourth career Games medal and third silver on the track this morning.
China’s Yiting Shi, the world record holder, took out the gold medal in a time of 13.39 seconds in a new Paralympic record with the Kiwi just behind in 13.43. The bronze medal was taken by Veronica Hipolito of Brazil in a time of 14.24.
After a false start by Samira da Silva Brito of Brazil, the 23-year-old sprinter from Hamilton and her rival Shi quickly took a commanding lead, with Shi slowly pulling away and crossing the line just ahead of Aitchison in recording breaking time.
Danielle Aitchison celebrates after the Women's 100m T36 final on day seven of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games at Stade de France. Photo / Getty Images
“I just wanted to go out there and have fun no matter the outcome. I wasn’t particularly happy with the 200. Out there I loved the challenge with Yiting Shi next to me, pushing each other along. I’m really happy with how the race went,” Aitchison said.
“It is so special to have my family in the crowd. It is so different from Tokyo. It is so great to have them come over to Paris and celebrate with me and enjoy the experience. I’m really excited to get back into training in a couple of months, I know I can push myself and get that gold medal in LA.”
Her success brought the New Zealand medal count for the Games to seven.
Last night, Will Stedman claimed silver in the men’s 400m T36, while Anna Grimaldi claimed a bronze in the women’s 100m T47 final.
They joined cyclist Anna Taylor, who got New Zealand on the board with a silver in the women’s C4 3000m individual pursuit on Saturday, before a double-medal night on Sunday saw sprinter Danielle Aitchison claim silver in the women’s 200m T36, before cyclist Nicole Murray claimed bronze in the women’s C5 3000m individual pursuit.
