Updated at 1.34pm
IRELAND’S DARRAGH MCDONALD has qualified for this evening’s 100m freestyle final at the London Paralympics.
McDonald, who has already won gold at these Games, finished second in his heat, behind Germany’s Sebastian Iwanow, with a time of 1:10.59.
Speaking afterwards, the swimmmer said:
“I’m looking forward to tonight and taking another bit off, this morning could have been faster, I kind of died in the last 50m, I’ll make some changes in the warm-up later and can hopefully take another second off. I’ve a feeling a lot of them were holding back this morning but I’m not too worried, I can take more off too, it will be a very tight race.”
In addition, James Scully has qualified for the S5 100m freestyle final.
Scully came fourth in his heat, with a time of 1:22.50.
He subsequently expressed satisfaction with his performance, saying:
“I’m absolutely delighted, it was a savage result, it was really fast and I’m into the final and will look to build on this morning. I didn’t expect to make the final, I was hoping for it, so I’m really happy.”
However, there was disappointment for Ellen Keane, who failed to make the SB9 women’s 100m breaststroke final today.
Despite securing a personal best with a time of 1:22.97, her fourth place finish was not enough to qualify for this evening’s event.
And Keane admitted she had mixed feelings in the wake of this result.
“I got a PB… So I’m really happy, I’m just a bit disappointed I didn’t go a little bit faster to make the final,” she said.
In the Women’s Individual B Road Race, Katie Dunlevey and her pilot Sandra Fitzgerald came fifth with a time of 2:12:56, while Catherine Walsh and her pilot Fran Meehan (2:13:04) - who have already won two medals – finished ninth.
Later on today, James Brown and Damien Shaw take part in the Men’s Individual B Road Race at 2.30pm, while McDonald competes again at approximately 5.42pm, and Scully is in action at 6.25pm.
