Seventh heaven for Freney and Cowdrey hat-trick
Swimming Australia
Published: Sep 7, 2012 05:58:32 AM Updated: Oct 31, 2012 12:04:59 PM
Jacqueline Freney has won her seventh gold medal of the 2012 Paralympics and become Australia’s most successful swimmer at a single Games with a world record performance in the women’s 400m freestyle, while Matt Cowdrey added another gold to his ever growing tally of 12 overall.
Freney’s time of 4:59.05, was 0.9 of a second quicker than her previous best set in December last year and a clear sign that she could well finish with eight medals as a member of the women’s medley relay team tomorrow night.
Swimming against the clock and her own world mark, Freney was simply too good over the eight laps of freestyle saying the event was the one she came for, with her name now mentioned alongside the greats of Paralympic sport in Louise Sauvage, Priya Cooper and Cowdrey.
“Seven I am in heaven. It is just unbelievable how good this meet has been,” said Freney.
“I did not think I would ever be able to achieve what they have achieved but it is realistic now.”
Triple Paralympian from Athens, Beijing and now London, Katrina Porter finished her campaign in seventh place in the women’s 400 free (S7) 5:41.48.
For fellow multiple gold medallist Cowdrey, his three-peat in the men’s 200m IM (S9) winning gold in Athens, Beijing and now London, is a first for any Australian male at Olympic or Paralympic level and the 23-year-old said he had to work for it.
Winning his fourth gold of the Games and 12th overall in a time 2:15.95, Cowdrey said he had trouble sleeping last night and coming down from the high of a world record in the 50m. Fellow gold medallist Brenden Hall finished sixth overall in a time of 2:21.48.
“That one hurt. I am not going to lie at all about that,” said Cowdrey.
“I don't think I realised how emotionally and physically draining that all was last night. Being a 10 day meet it is a bit longer and harder than we are used. I am very glad to have got away with that.”
Keeping the momentum going for Australia and winning the 31st medal at the pool, 13-year-old Maddi Elliott won bronze in the women’s 100m freestyle (S6) for her fourth medal of the Games.
Chasing down former teen star from Athens, Jessica Long and 26-year-old Heather Frederiksen from Great Britain, Elliott finished in 1:08.37 while Long set a new world record of 1:05.63.
Andrew Pasterfield won Australia’s final medal of the night picking up bronze in the men’s 100m freestyle (S10) in a personal best time of 52.77.
Having secured lane 4 for the final, Pasterfield knew he was in shape for a medal tonight and finished off his individual program in style while Michael Anderson finishing eighth in 54.73.
“It’s a great way to finish what has been a magical week for me here,” said Pasterfield.
“I’m happy with the result and happy with the time, and getting the chance to swim out of lane 4 four a final because I’ve never had that experience before, so I’m wrapped with everything.”
In the women’s 100m breaststroke (S14) Kayla Clarke and Amanda Fowler finished fourth and fifth respectively in personal best times. Clarke finished in 1:22.87, half a second quicker than her heat swim this morning while Fowler was more than a second quicker than her best in 1:23.30. In the men’s 100m breaststroke (S14), Richard Eliason finished fifth overall in 1:09.96, just outside the personal best time he set in the heats.
In the men’s 100m freestyle (S8) Blake Cochrane finished eighth overall while in the Matt Levy was seventh in the men’s 400m freestyle (S7). Kat Downie finished her individual program with a fifth place and personal best in the women’s 100m freestyle (S10) hitting the wall in 1:02.34.
Australian Swim Team Medal Tally – Day 8
Gold 14, Silver 7, Bronze 11 – Total 32
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