IRELAND claimed their firsts' medal of the Paralympics in Atlanta on Saturday night when Sharon Rice from Co Down took bronze in the shot putt. Competing in the cerebral palsy category, Rice produced a throw of 5.01 metres to secure her medal.
Although she regarded, her chances before the competition as "slim, very slim", Rice soon settled down to produce a superb performance. "Starting out I didn't feel that confident," she said, "but I got my first three throws off and felt more confident and more relaxed after that. "I was just very happy to be out there," continued Rice, who was competing in her first paralympics, although she had previously competed in the World championship. "I loved every minute of it."
Britain's swimmers notched up the country's first two golds with Stockport swimmer Sarah Bailey breaking her own world record in the 200 metres Individual Medley at the Olympic Pool at Georgia Tech.
Bailey's triumph came on a day when world records were sent Lumbling as the swimmers took full advantage of the superb technical qualities of the pool for fast racing. Five records went in the heats and another 11 in the finals, helped by a crowds who gave tremendous vocal support.
A third gold went to 23 year old Simon Jackson from Littleborough, the World and European Judo Champion, in the Under 78 kg class in a sport for blind and visually impaired competitors. Jackson, the favourite for gold, beat Argentinian Fabian Ramirez.
The first British gold of the games went to 15 year old Emily Jennings from Melton Mowbray in the SM9 category in the 200 metres Individual Medley. She won in a tense and exciting race with the American swimmer Joyce Luncher.
Jennings was behind her throughout the race but with just five yards to go and the American looking the certain winner, a tremendous last effort gave the British swimmer victory in a time of 2 minutes 49.62 seconds.
Sarah Bailey's triumph came in the SM10 category for the least disabled. Bailey, who is 18, has no left hand, but has consistently clocked times close to the qualifying level for the British Olympic squad.
She won in 2:38.38 seconds, heating by 0.54 seconds the record she set in the Barcelona Paralympics in 1992. She was in control throughout the race and held off a late challenge from the Australian swimmer Gemma Dashwood.
A silver medal also went to Sheffield's Ian Sharpe in the 100 metres butterfly in the B3 category for visually impaired swimmers. Two other British swimmers won bronze Giles Long in the SM8 category in the 200 metres Individual Medley and Janice Burton in the B1 (blind) category in the 100 metres butterfly.
