New National record for Ronan Grimes in the Men’s C4-5 1000m para cycling (track)

Ronan Grimes took to the track at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Velodrome for the opening race on the second day of the Paralympic Games, and what a start it was. Competing in the qualifier for the Men’s C4-5 1000m Time Trial, Grimes posted a time of 1:05.521 a new national record and personal best.  

Grimes finished in eighth place, with the top six progressing to the final this afternoon.  

Speaking afterwards he said: “I can’t believe it, I think going in I was nearly worried that I wouldn’t PB. I knew on the first lap, it felt like I was going fast. When I saw 1:05 on the board, I can retire happy now.” 

When asked about the atmosphere, Grimes added:  

“When you’re warming up and you’re underneath the track and you just hear this noise, I thought it was my headphones making this kind of beat, but it’s the crowd up above. Knowing that you’ve family in there watching you, people at home, all the messages I’ve been getting to wish me good luck so you want to finish giving it your all!” 

Grimes has an action-packed competition schedule for the remainder of the Games, he outlined his plan: 

“I think it’s the cliché of event by event, day by day, so today was the Kilo, tomorrow the Individual Pursuit, fingers crossed I can do a good ride there, hopefully I think I should have it in me, there’s good power in me now. Then next week onto the Time Trial, then the Road Race. Finishing on the Road Race is going to be the highlight.” 

Next up, Katie-George Dunlevy, piloted by Eve McCrystal, and Josephine Healion, piloted by Linda Kelly, will complete in the qualifier for the Women’s B 1000m Time Trial at 12:58 today. 

Ireland’s Para rowing double sculls Katie O’Brien and Tiarnán O’Donnell got their Paralympic campaign underway by finishing fourth, in a time of 9:03.33, in their PR2 mixed double heat at the storm-struck Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium. 

Their long-awaited Paralympic debut was delayed by 90 minutes due to a dramatic lightning storm. When their heat eventually got away the Chinese pair got clear water early and won it in a new Paralympic Games best of 8:03.70, ahead of Israel (8:07.24) and Ukraine (8:43.38). 

O’Brien and O’Donnell covered the first 500m in 2:04.72, eight seconds behind the leaders and came through half-way in 4:12.90 and 1500m in 6:24.61 but once they saw they would not make the top two and be headed to tomorrow’s repechage (9:50am Irish time), they conserved their energy and cruised home. 

The second heat was won by Britain in a new world record of 7:56.92 with second-placed Poland (8:07.76) also going straight to the final. O’Brien and O’Donnell will compete for a place in the final in the repechage tomorrow. 

“Once we got to the 1400m mark and saw the other crews were ahead we said ‘let’s just prioritise tomorrow and prioritise our recovery,” O’Brien explained. 

“Our goal for most of the race was let’s get to the A final and avoid the repechage but, now we’re there, we need to bring our A-game tomorrow and that’s the plan,” O’Donnell said. 

“Tomorrow is our final and we’ll be giving it everything. If we get to that last 500m and we’re in the mix, we have just got to back ourselves and empty the tank,” he said of needing to finish in the top two to qualify for the A final. 

By happy coincidence, O’Brien’s long-awaited Paralympic debut came on her 28th birthday and she revealed that she had celebrated it a night early, when her Team Ireland teammates surprised her by putting candles in two of the Athletes’ Villages now legendary chocolate muffins. 

“I completely forgot it was my birthday to be honest, I was just totally focussed on the race today but, last night, Tiarnán told me there was a team meeting upstairs and I walked into a sing-song,” she revealed. “It’s just amazing to become a Paralympian today. It’s been a dream for me since 2012 and I’m ecstatic.” 

Shifting our focus to the action in the water, Ellen Keane was the sole competitor for Team Ireland in the pool competing in the SB8 100m Breaststroke heat this morning. Keane took to the blocks with the third fasted entry time, Team GB’s Brock Whiston and the rising star Anastasiya Dmytriv Dmytriv from Spain, first and second respectively.  

The Clontarf native showed excellent form in the morning heat, showing she was fully focussed on the task at hand, qualifying for tonight’s final comfortably. Keane reacted to the starting gun third quickest, powering through the La Défense water and leading the way on the turn. The five-time Paralympian and Team GB’s Whiston went stroke for stroke throughout the final 50-metres, both stopping the clock on 1:24.59 to finish joint-first in the heat, advancing to tonight’s final joint-second overall.  

Speaking after the morning swim, Keane said: “I had so much fun, I just embraced it, so I just wanted to soak up the atmosphere when I walked out, find my friends and family and give them a big wave. It’s so special, this is why I stayed on after Tokyo, I wanted to retire in a full stadium, and I wanted them to have that opportunity to cheer me on.” 

“I already won a gold medal in Tokyo, there’s so many things out of your control, the only thing in you control is your own performance, and just to making sure you are ready on the day to give it your all. I have that gold medal, that will always be mine forever, what happens tonight, happens tonight. I’d love to be on the podium, but Para swimming has progressed so much, I’m not naive on how strong the girls I swim against are, I love that.” 

Looking ahead to tonight’s final, she added: “It will be a nice fight tonight, I’m really excited. I know a few girls weren’t going as fast as they can there, including me. I was having a bit of fun with my stroke rate and seeing what I can do, the time is fine, joint-first in the heat – it will be a fun final.” 

Irish eyes will be on the La Défense Arena once again this evening as Team Ireland’s Róisín Ní Riain (100m Backstroke S13) and Ellen Keane (100m Breaststroke SB8) both put on the Irish swim caps at 6:51pm and 7:21, respectively. 

Team Ireland’s Para athletics campaign got underway on Friday morning with Shauna Bocquet making her Paralympic debut in the Women’s 5000m T54 heats at the iconic Stade de France.  

Having come into the Games in strong form, the Galway native was undeterred by the crowd and occasion in Paris and produced a fine performance to finish fourth in her heat with a time of 12:44:52 and qualify for the final ninth overall.  

With the wet conditions playing a crucial role in the race strategy, Bocquet went out hard and maintained her place in the leading pack alongside double Paralympic champion Catherine Debrunner from Switzerland and Germany’s Merle Menje. In a fierce finish, the 20-year-old was pipped for third place by Switzerland’s Manuela Schaer. 

She will take to the track again tomorrow (Saturday) for the final at 09:40am (Irish time) much to her delight.  

“I’m really happy with how that race went and how I felt and I’m just delighted to be in the final tomorrow. The plan was to go out hard and then stick with the front pack. With the spray from the rain, I stayed in the front for a good bit to avoid that”.  

Bocquet also praised the large Irish support who have travelled over to Paris.  

“I was smiling as I was going around because all I could hear was my name being chanted. My family and friends are over here but there’s just so much Irish support here as well, so many Irish flags around the place, it’s really special.” 

In addition to Saturday’s final, Bocquet will also compete in the T54 100m and 1500m events later in the Games. 

Earlier this morning, in Para Archery, Kerrie Leonard shot 135 against China’s Jiamin Zhou, 140m issing out by just five points. Zhou is the gold medallist from the 2016 Games in Rio.  

I’m really proud of my performance. I knew I was seeded behind Zhou but I stayed focused on my game. I am disappointed for my family and friends who have come to cheer me on but I’ve loved the experience and am leaving here proud. A huge thank you to all my supporters, it was great to have Para Archery on display on the world stage and I hope more people enter the sport.” 

Day 2 Paralympic Games Morning Results (Friday 30th August): 

Day 2 Paralympic Games Evening Schedule (Friday 30th August): 

*pending qualifying results