30-07-2013, 01:27 PM
International Paralympics Athletics World Championships, Lyon 19-28 July 2013
22 July: New Zealand javelin thrower Holly Robinson won the silver medal in the F46 class Javelin with a personal best throw of 34.37m, adding almost two metres to her previous best. Robinson's previous best of 32.58m was set at the London Paralympics in 2012, where she finished in seventh place.
The performance at the world championships is a New Zealand record and a big step up for the young thrower who was born with a left arm shortened just below the elbow. Her sights are now firmly fixed on the Rio Paralympics in 2016. Robinson (18), from Hokitika, moved to Dunedin to train under top coach Raylene Bates.
The competition was won by Hollie Arnold (Great Britain) with a throw of 37.45m.
24 July: Rory McSweeney finished sixth in the F44 Javelin with a personal best of 49.95m.
McSweeney of Dunedin, who has a below the knee amputation, started slowly with throws of 45.27m, 45.99m and 47.55m. He then improved to 48.22m in round four, before hitting his best throw in the penultimate round. An all-out final effort to further improve his personal best and break into the medals came up short.
Less than six metres covered the first seven athletes in the completion, with athletes from France, Cyprus and Iran taking the medals. Tony Falelavaki of France won with a throw of 54.39m. McSweeney (28), also coached by Bates, improved on his 42m achieved at the last IPC world championships in Christchurch two years ago.
22 July: New Zealand javelin thrower Holly Robinson won the silver medal in the F46 class Javelin with a personal best throw of 34.37m, adding almost two metres to her previous best. Robinson's previous best of 32.58m was set at the London Paralympics in 2012, where she finished in seventh place.
The performance at the world championships is a New Zealand record and a big step up for the young thrower who was born with a left arm shortened just below the elbow. Her sights are now firmly fixed on the Rio Paralympics in 2016. Robinson (18), from Hokitika, moved to Dunedin to train under top coach Raylene Bates.
The competition was won by Hollie Arnold (Great Britain) with a throw of 37.45m.
24 July: Rory McSweeney finished sixth in the F44 Javelin with a personal best of 49.95m.
McSweeney of Dunedin, who has a below the knee amputation, started slowly with throws of 45.27m, 45.99m and 47.55m. He then improved to 48.22m in round four, before hitting his best throw in the penultimate round. An all-out final effort to further improve his personal best and break into the medals came up short.
Less than six metres covered the first seven athletes in the completion, with athletes from France, Cyprus and Iran taking the medals. Tony Falelavaki of France won with a throw of 54.39m. McSweeney (28), also coached by Bates, improved on his 42m achieved at the last IPC world championships in Christchurch two years ago.