ATHENS, Greece, September 22. TWO golds were scored by the U.S. on day two with remarkable finishes in the home stretch per reports from the USOC press officer in Athens. Thanks to stellar performances from Erin Popovich (Silverbow, Mont.) and three first-time Paralympians, the U.S. medal tally grew to four gold and three bronze after two days of competition.
Popovich battled with Australia’s Chantel Wolfenden, the world record holder in the event for the last four years, for what looked like it would be a second place finish. But in the last 25 meters of the 100 S7 freestyle final, Popovich outpaced Wolfenden and Germany’s Kirsten Bruhn to set a Paralympic record of 1.14.61 and earn her second gold medal in as many nights.
Two races later in the 100 S8 freestyle, Jessica Long (Dundalk, Md.) revealed a powerful last meter kick. Long, the youngest member of the U.S. delegation at age 12, clawed past Keren Or Leybovitch of Israel with 25 meters remaining to set a Paralympic record of 1.09.67.
When asked about winning Paralympic Gold, she responded “I’m just trying to catch my breath.”
First-time Paralympians Lantz Lamback (Augusta, Ga.) and Michael Prout (West Springfield, Mass.) added to the team’s rookie momentum with two bronze medals. Lamback placed third in the 100 S7 freestyle with a time of 1.05.02. Prout matched the feat 100 S9 freestyle with a time of 59.72.
See full results for U.S. swimmers below.
Tuesday’s preliminary rounds feature an early race from Curtis Lovejoy (Atlanta, Ga.), veteran Paralympic gold medalist in both swimming and fencing, in the 100 S2 freestyle. Athens gold medalists Popovich and Rudy Garcia-Tolson (Riverside, Calif.) will both compete in the 100 SB7 breastroke. And watch for the 200 S4 freestyle, where Cheryl Angelelli (XX) and Aimee Bruder (XX) will compete.
Also racing Tuesday: Grover Evans (Little Rock, Ark.) in the 100 S1 freestyle, Justin Zook (Plymouth, Minn.) and Ashley Owens (Stockbridge, Ga.) in the 100 S10 freestyle, Michael DeMarco (San Diego, Calif.) in the 200 S3 freestyle, Jarrett Perry (Wichita, Kan.), Beth Riggle (Sylvania, Ohio) and Mikhaila Rutherford (Alameda, Calif.) in the 100 SB8 breaststroke
Men’s 100 S10 butterfly
1. Benoit Huot (CAN) – 59.54 WR/PR
2. Daniel Bell (AUS) – 59.67
3. Jody Cundy (GBR) – 1:01.02
8. Justin Zook (Plymouth, Minn.) – 1:04.25
Women’s 100 S10 butterfly
1. Magdalena Szdzepinska (POL) – 1:12.30
2. Katarzyna Pawlik (POL) – 1:13.06
3. Claudia Hengst (GER) – 1:14.66
4. Mikhaila Rutherford (Alameda, Calif.) – 1:17.96
Women’s 400 S13 freestyle
1. Kirby Cote (CAN) – 4.43.23
2. Prue Watt (AUS) – 4.49.51
3. Rhiannon Henry (GBR) – 4.49.66
5. Kelley Becherer (Sheboygan, Wisc.) – 5.01.96
6. Tiffanie Wright (Redding, Calif.) – 5.03.29
8. Carrie Willoughby (Bessemer, Ala.) – 5.08.12
Women’s 50 S4 backstroke
1. Mayumi Narita (JPN) – 49.54 PR
2. Edenia Garcia (BRA) – 51.51
3. Anne Cecile Lequien (FRA) 53.37
6. Melanie Benn (Los Angeles, Calif.) – 1:04.59
8. Aimee Bruder (Birmingham, Ala.) – 1:07.76
Women’s 100 SB11 breaststroke
1. Natalie Ball (GER) – 1:32.31
2. Chantal Cavin (SUI) – 1:32.98
3. Elaine Barrett (GBR) – 1:38.23
6. Anessa Kemna (Long Lake, Minn.) – 1:44.40
Women’s 100 S6 freestyle
1. Doramitzi Gonzalez (MEX) – 1.17.43 WR/PR
2. Ludivine Loiseau (FRA) – 1.19.52
3. Erika Nara (JPN) – 1.22.87
8. Stephanie Brooks (Alpharetta, Ga.) – 1.28.59
Men’s 100 S7 freestyle
1. David Roberts (GBR) – 1.01.65 WR/PR
2. Matthew Walker (GBR) – 1.04.22
3. Lantz Lamback (Augusta, Ga.) – 1.05.02
Women’s 100 S7 freestyle
1. Erin Popovich (Silverbow, Mont.) – 1.14.61 PR
2. Chantel Wolfenden (AUS) – 1.15.09
3. Kirsten Bruhn (GER) – 1.15.89
Men’s 100 S8 freestyle
1. Ben Austin (AUS) – 59.83 WR/PR
2. Fykas Konstantinos (GRE) – 1.00.37
3. Ricardo Moffatti (AUS) – 1.03.12
7. Travis Mohr (Whitehall, Pa.) – 1.06.09
Women’s 100 S8 freestyle
1. Jessica Long (Dundalk, Md.) – 1.09.67 PR
2. Keren Or Leybovitch (ISR) – 1.09.86
3. Cecilie Drabsch (NOR) – 1.12.29
Men’s 100 S9 freestyle
1. Matthew Cowdrey (AUS) – 58.15 WR/PR
2. Xiao Ming Xiong (CHN) – 58.74
3. Michael Prout Jr. (West Springfield, Mass.) – 59.21
Women’s 100 S9 freestyle
1. Natalie du Toit (RSA) – 1.02.83 PR
2. Stephanie Dixon (CAN) – 1.05.31
3. Christine Reppe (GER) – 1.06.40
4. Kelly Crowley (San Jose, Calif.) – 1.08.22