TOKYO — Robert Griswold (Freehold, New Jersey) and Mallory Weggemann (Eagan, Minnesota) lead the way for Team USA’s four medal haul on the third night of racing at the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 inside the Tokyo Aquatic Center.
Griswold set the tone for the
Americans with smashing a world record in the men’s 100-meter backstroke S8.
Entering the night as the top seed, the now two-time Paralympic medalist
managed to shave three seconds off of his morning swim and etched his name in
the record books by finishing in 1:02.55. His teammate and training partner,
Joseph Peppersack (Hopewell, Virginia) who is competing in his first Paralympic
Games, placed seventh overall in his finals debut after touching the wall in
1:09.45.
On the women’s side of the event,
five-time Paralympian Jessica Long (Baltimore, Maryland), added a bronze to her
collection of 24 career Paralympic medals by finishing in 1:18.55. The most
decorated active athlete at the Paralympics, Long returns to the pool on
Saturday.
The women’s 200-meter individual
medley SM7 saw Team USA take the top two stops of the podium as Weggemann and
Ahalya Lettenberger (Glen Ellyn, Illinois) finished first and second,
respectively. Weggemann, who set a Paralympic record earlier in the day, led
the race from start to finish and touched the wall in 2:55.48 for her third
career Paralympic medal. It was her first medal since 2012.
Swimming in the next lane to the
three-time Paralympian, Lettenberger turned in a 3:02.82 swim. The first-time
Paralympian remained in the middle of the pack over the first 150-meters before
a 40.85 final split propelled her from fourth to second place for her first
career Paralympic medal.
Other notable evening swims for Team
USA included Evan Austin (Terre Haute, Indiana) and Rudy Garcia-Tolson
(Colorado Springs, Colorado), who finished in fifth (2:32.53) and seventh
(2:39.52), respectively, in the men’s 200-meter individual medley SM7.
Anastasia Pagonis (Long Island, New
York), fresh off of her world record gold medal performance last night,
finished seventh in the women’s 50-meter freestyle S11 in 31.22, and Makayla
Nietzel (Crystal Lake, Illinois) bettered her time in the women’s 400-meter
freestyle S13 by finishing in 4:47.45 for seventh place.
From the morning session, Cailin
Currie (Salem, Massachusetts) placed ninth overall in the women's 400m
freestyle S13 with a 4:50.11 swim. Julia Gaffney (Mayflower, Arkansas) was
unfortunately disqualified in the women's 200-meter individual medley SM7.
Matthew Torres (Ansonia, Connecticut) finished 10th in the men’s 100-meter
backstroke S8 in 1:14.03.
Day four of racing continues tomorrow
with the preliminary heats scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. EST and finals at 4
a.m. EST. All races will be live streamed through NBCOlympics.com, on Peacock
and through the NBC Sports app. A full schedule of events is available here.
TEAM USA MEDALS – DAY THREE
GOLD:
- Robert Griswold (men’s 100m
backstroke S8)
- Mallory Weggemann (women’s 200m individual
medley SM7)
SILVER:
- Ahalya Lettenberger (women’s 200m
individual medley SM7)
BRONZE:
- Jessica Long (women’s 100m
backstroke S8)
QUOTES
Robert Griswold
I worked for five years for this
moment. I remember this record took a big jump down in Rio, and I was in that
race, and I woke up the next day and said, ‘How can I get down to 1:02.90?’ I
thought about it again and again, and said if I just kept a little bit better
every day, it will click. Then one day it all clicked.
I honestly wasn’t thinking 1:02.50. I
hit the wall and saw that I was out at 30-something, and I said, ‘You know
what, let’s just go for it’ and I went with. When I touched the wall I just
screamed with joy because I was so happy to do the best I could for my country.
Jessica Long
I feel really good. It’s number 24
and that was the goal. It’s been a long journey and gaining a lot of
perspective but it’s exciting every single time I get to stand on that podium.
Backstroke isn’t one of my top events, and I’m really looking forward to
tomorrow’s 200-meter IM. For now, I wanted to get on that podium tonight. I’m
proud of myself.
Mallory Weggemann
I’m overjoyed. It is such an honor to
be at my third Paralympic Games and to be on top of the podium for the first
time in what would be nine years on September 2. This has been a very long
fight and there has been a lot of circumstances that have come around through
this journey. I’m just filled with pride that I get to be with Team USA and I
get to represent my family, my community and that I have that love and support
to surround me.
Ahalya Letterberger
I just can’t believe it. Every time I
think about it, I get really emotional. It’s really amazing and I’m just
grateful for everybody who has supported me. I wouldn’t be here without them
especially my family, friends, and teammates and coaches at Rice University.
FULL RESULTS
For full results from Tokyo 2020,
please visit Paralympic.org.
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