Paralympic Games (Day 5 Men): Mark Malyar Blasts World Record in 400 Freestyle
Israel’s Mark Malyar continued his record-breaking ways on the fifth night of finals at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Coming off a world record in the 200-meter individual medley, Malyar produced a global standard in the 400 freestyle, as he easily outdistanced the competition. Malyar was the reigning world champ and favorite in the event.
In his latest world-record performance, Malyar registered a time of 4:31.06, which bettered his previous mark by more than two seconds. Malyar had a lead of more than four seconds by the midway point of the race and prevailed by 4.50 seconds over the Ukraine’s Andrii Trusov, who went 4:35.56 for the silver medal. The bronze medal was won by American Evan Austin in 4:38.95.
Austin is competing in his third Paralympic Games, and his effort in the 400 freestyle supplied the first medal of his career.
“It will come in waves — in the next couple of minutes, hour and then the next couple of days, I’m sure I’ll be thinking about it more and more,” he said. “I’m so thankful. I have such a big community and village that surrounds me and supports me. My family have been truly indescribable throughout this whole process especially during the pandemic, never losing belief in me and doing everything possible to give me the ability to train and pursue this dream. All that culminated in me getting my first medal.”
Japan’s Naohide Yamaguchi claimed a gold medal and world record on home soil when he bested the competition in the SB14 100 breaststroke. Yamaguchi covered his two laps in 1:03.77, which got him to the wall ahead of Australia’s Jake Michel (1:04.28). Meanwhile, another world record was set by Dmitrii Cherniaev of Russia in the SB4 100 breaststroke, as he clocked in at 1:31.96.
Italian Simone Barlaam led a strong day for his country when he won the S9 50 freestyle in 24.71, with Denis Tarasov of Russia and the United States’ Jamal Hill earning silver and bronze, respectively. Italy also won a pair of women’s titles.
In other competition, China’s Zou Liankang won the S3 50 backstroke and Belarus’ Ihar Boki took top honors in the S13 50 freestyle, Boki missing his world record by just .01 with a winning time of 23.21. Brazil’s Gabriel Geraldo dos Santos Araujo won the S2 200 freestyle.
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