Rowing gold one of 10 Australian medals amid phone scandal at Paralympics

Australia enjoyed its most fruitful day of medals at the Paris Paralympics to date, with Nikki Ayers and Jed Altschwager leading the charge by lifting rowing gold in the PR3 mixed double sculls. Ayers and Altschwager saw off a challenge from Great Britain to record Australia’s first-ever rowing gold, one of 10 medals collected on Sunday in Paris.
The pair’s success on the water at Vaires sur Marne was supplemented by Erik Horrie, who after initially finishing fourth was upgraded to a bronze in the men’s PR1 single sculls. Italian rower Giacomo Perini, who crossed the line in third, was disqualified for allegedly having a “communication device” – believed to be a mobile phone – in his boat during the race.
World Rowing said Perini “was found to be using communication equipment during the race.” “As a result, the crew has been excluded from the event and will be ranked last,” the governing body added.
The Italian rowing Federation filed an appeal, which was rejected, and said it was was preparing to appeal the decision to the World rowing Executive Board.
Perini had reportedly forgotten to remove his phone from a bag in his boat before the race. Using communication devices during a race is prohibited, according to Paris 2024 rules.
“There was a situation that happened. World Rowing and Paralympics officials saw it and then made the decision [to disqualify Perini] and I was lucky enough to come away with the bronze,” Horrie told Nine.
The strong showing at the rowing was followed by feats across town with Australia picking up five medals in the swimming pool at La Défense Arena. Among them was Ahmed Kelly, who had been disqualified in his heat over the legality of his stroke but was reinstated after protesting the decision and went on to claim silver in the men’s 150m medley SM3.
There were also bronze medals for Mali Lovell in the women’s T36 200m and Dayna Crees in the women’s F34 javelin at the Stade de France. And there was a third-place finish for the team sprint at the velodrome for Gordon Allan, Korey Boddington and Alistair Donohoe.
Elsewhere, boccia pair Dan Michel and Jamieson Leeson are guaranteed at least silver after they qualified for their respective singles gold medal matches.
But Ayers and Altschwager were the main event, finishing strongly with a time of 7 mins, 26 seconds to clinch gold. Altschwager lost his left leg in a work accident, while Ayers had to undergo amputation after complications from an injury picked up playing rugby union.
“It’s hurting right now, but it was totally worth it,” Ayers said. “It [the medal] is a symbol of hope and never giving up on your dreams. For every person out there with a disability, male, female, everyone, never give up and keep striving for your dreams and it’ll come true.”
In the swimming, meanwhile, Kelly was jubilant to pick up a silver after his brush with disqualification. It was alleged Iraq-born Kelly, who was born with no legs and no arms below the elbow, had used a butterfly instead of the freestyle in the final leg.
But Swimming Australia officials protested and he was through to the final, finishing second as Grant “Scooter” Patterson grabbed bronze.
There was another silver-bronze Australian haul in men’s 100m freestyle S10 where Rowan Crothers finished ahead of Tom Gallagher, although he was left feeling he hadn’t done his best.
“When I say today is not my day, it’s still a silver medal, so it’s hard to be too unhappy about that,” Crothers said. “Everything in training reflects the ability for me to go a lot faster than 51.55 [seconds]. This morning I went around the same time and it felt easy as pie, so for that not to translate into a faster swim in the final is a little disappointing.”
The mixed 4x100m freestyle S14 relay provided the fifth pool medal of the day when an inspired showing from Ben Hance powered the team, also featuring Jack Ireland, Madeleine McTernan and Ruby Storm, to second place.