[semoball.com] Login | Register
Local athletes look for strong finishes at Paralympics
Posted Monday, September 15, 2008, at 4:07 AM
<< Previous | Respond | Email link | Next >>

Just a few hours ago, Susan Beth Scott posted the top preliminary time for the 400-meter freestyle at the Paralympic Games in Beijing.

Here is the info, from the U.S. Olympic Committee:

BEIJING, China -- On the last day of swimming competition at the National Aquatics Center, several first-time Paralympians hold the top seeds going into Monday's finals.

Susan Beth Scott (Colorado Springs, Colo./Cape Girardeau, Mo.) is seeded first (4:46.16) in the women's 400m freestyle (S10.) "It was a good morning swim," said Scott, who is competing in her first Paralympic Games. "I've dropped time in every race I've swum, so I am very happy about that. I'm just planning to do my best in the final, go out there and swim the race of my life."

Scott, making her first appearance in the Paralympics, has not yet medaled at the competition, but she excels in the distance events and this is the longest swimming event at the Paralympics. The finals will be Monday morning in our time zone, Monday night in Beijing.


Jill Kennedy, a three-time Paralympian from Zalma, will be wrapping up her competition today in the shot put. She placed sixth in the discus on Saturday.

She said in an e-mail Sunday that the stadium was nearly full when she competed Saturday, and that the crowd "was very responsive" because a Chinese woman was competing (and broke the world record).

Of her own finish, Kennedy wrote: "This is about what I expect. So, it is a disappointment of course not to get a medal but not a shock. I threw ok but was trying to be too perfect or "tentative." ... [T]he top 4 finishers all had very impressive marks so there's no shame in losing to them. "



Respond to this blog

Posting a comment requires free registration. If you already have an account, enter your username and password below. Otherwise, click here to register.

Username:

Password:  (Forgot your password?)

Your comments:
Please be respectful of others and try to stay on topic.