Two Irish swimmers, Róisín Ní Riain and Nicole Turner, tried to replicate the success of Mona and Daniel at the La Défense Arena during the Paralympics’ opening day but couldn’t land on the podium for Team Ireland. In the S13 100-meter butterfly final, Ní Riain secured fourth place, and Turner came sixth in the S6 50-meter freestyle medal race.
Though finishing fourth could often feel dejected in sports, Ní Riain didn’t dwell on the result. Instead, she focused on her forthcoming final of the S13 100m backstroke event, which is her strongest discipline, set for Friday night.
The 19-year-old swimmer from Limerick commented on her performance, stating, “It’s not a disappointing position, admittedly. After all, it’s one position better than I started off in the heats. It’s my first event at every championship, mainly a fun one for me.”
Ní Riain’s time of 1:06.04 was just shy of securing third place behind Muslima Odilova of Uzbekistan, who clocked in at 1:05.43. The gold and silver medals went to Italy’s Carlotta Gilli and the USA’s Grace Nuhfer, with times of 1:03.27 and 1:03.88 respectively.
Unlike Ní Riain, Turner expressed disappointment over her performance, having felt she didn’t meet her expectations. The swimmer from Laois admitted, “It was challenging, I won’t pretend otherwise. The goal in a final is to clock a time faster than the heat swim, and I didn’t meet that target today.”
Unable to pinpoint the reason for her underperformance, the athlete expressed a mix of dissatisfaction and contemplation over her recent sports competition. She vowed to analyse and improve upon her attempt which registered a time of 35.65 seconds in the final round, marginally slower than the 35.35 seconds she clocked in the morning’s heat.
As fate would have it, the title was clinched by Yuyan Jiang from China, with an impressive time of 32.59 seconds, thus marking the second occasion that day that she shattered the Paralympic record. The silver medal went to Ellie Marks from the USA (with a time of 32.90 seconds), and bronze was claimed by Anna Hontar from Ukraine (who finished in 33.01 seconds).
For Irish swimming, the location has proven to be a fortuitous one, following the impressive feats of Mona McSharry and Daniel Wiffen during the Olympics. With the commencement of these Games, hopes were high within Team Ireland that the site would offer more than just inspiration.
The revamping of the racing venue, which hosts a staggering 17,000 spectators and typically serves as the playing field for the Rugby team – Racing 92, transformed into a dynamic and electric environment. The sheer volume of support for the French participants could not be missed, and when the French anthem was played, the entire venue seemed to move as one to its rhythm.
There were thrilling performances within the water too. A particularly poignant moment was the sight of Lu Dong, a seasoned and decorated swimmer, making her way through the S5 200m freestyle heat. Dealing with the loss of both arms from a childhood accident, Dong chose to compete in the backstroke category against competitors swimming freestyle using at least one arm. With a heat time of 3:07.20, she showcased not just her physical resolve, but also her mental fortitude. Despite finishing seventh in the final, the true achievement lies in the unforgettable spectacle of witnessing Dong swim.
On Thursday, not only Ní Riain and Turner graced the pool as Irish swimmers, but Dearbhaile Brady, the 17-year-old athlete, also made a splash in the S6 50-metre freestyle. Brady, hailing from Derry, didn’t secure a spot in the final due to a fifth-place finish, but set a personal best with a 36.45 timing. This event marked her very first Paralympics.
Day one may not have been Team Ireland’s day, but their journey in swimming is far from over. Ellen Keane is set to mark her fifth Paralympian appearance on Friday, taking to the waters for the SB8 100m breaststroke. Also set to compete in the following days are Barry McClements and Deaten Registe, while Ní Riain, Turner and Brady haven’t wrapped up their participation as of yet.
Ní Riain currently holds the title of World Para swimming 100-metre backstroke champion, in addition to the world record for the 200-metre backstroke. Turner, who landed a silver in the S6 50m butterfly at Tokyo three years prior, is eager for another podium finish, stating, “I have four full days of rest and recovery and will focus on the 50 fly”.
Although Ní Riain is not afforded a break, she seems to be relishing the idea of another outing. She left with a sense of dedication, noting that whether she conquers or not, it’s all part of the job, and she’ll be up and ready for the challenge tomorrow evening.
Among the crowd at La Défense Arena for the evening’s proceedings was Jürgen Klopp, the ex-Liverpool manager, who was seated near a group of Irish supporters. He expressed his admiration for Paralympic athletes, saying “That’s what I love about sports, that it can change the world. Sometimes only for a moment and sometimes forever”.
Despite not securing any victory on Thursday, Team Ireland remains hopeful for future triumphs. Their time will come soon.