Geoff Lemon's Blog, page 54

Hampshire v Yorkshire, Lancashire v Warwickshire and more: county cricket – live!

Updates from day four of the latest round of Championship matchesEngland v India: fourth Test, day one – live!Beaumont powers England’s women to emphatic win over New ZealandAnd you can email Geoff, tweet him or comment BTL

Archie Lenham is out for Sussex, they’re 259 in front and 7 down against Worcestershire.

Northants have lost Tom Taylor for 8, lbw Higgins. Which means that Milo Kerrigan is at the crease, 2 not out, his team 236 ahead with two wickets left. It’s a good day for discarded Test spinners to be 2 not out.

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Published on September 02, 2021 06:03

GB’s Dunn wins Paralympic swimming gold with world record – as it happened

GB’s Sarah Storey took time-trial gold, while Oksana Masters of the USA has now won golds at both summer and winter Paralympics

The second session has started at the Fuji International Speedway and Daniel Abraham has just won gold in the men’s C5 time trial in a fashion which can only be described as dominant. The Dutchman finished in 42:46.45, ahead of Ukraine’s silver medallist Yegor Dementyev (43:19.11), while Australian Alistair Donohoe (43:36.80) claimed bronze.

Speaking of images, here are the best across the board from yesterday:

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Published on August 31, 2021 06:44

Tokyo 2020 Paralympics: GB’s Dunn wins swimming gold with world record – as it happened

GB’s Sarah Storey took time-trial gold, while Oksana Masters of the USA has now won golds at both summer and winter Paralympics

2.34pm BST

2.27pm BST

1 China 62 golds 38 silvers 32 bronzes (132 medals overall)
2 Great Britain 29 golds 23 silvers 28 bronzes (80)
3 RPC 25 golds 16 silvers 33 bronzes (74)
4 United States 24 golds 24 silvers 15 bronzes (63)
5 Ukraine 15 golds 33 silvers 19 bronzes (67)
6 Brazil 14 golds 11 silvers 17 bronzes (42)
7 Netherlands 14 golds 9 silvers 9 bronzes (32)
8 Australia 13 golds 21 silvers 20 bronzes (54)
9 Italy 11 golds 18 silvers 14 bronzes (43)
10 Azerbaijan 10 golds 1 silver 4 bronzes (15)

A much prettier representation can be found on our dedicated page …

2.19pm BST

In the final events on the track today … China’s Fenfen Jiang took gold in the T37 women’s 400m, winning in a new national record of 1min 1.36sec, just 0.12sec clear of Natalia Kobzar of the Ukraine, who put in a personal best. Sheryl James, representing South Africa, took the bronze in another PB.

Before that came the heats of the T12 men’s 400m – Noah Malone was the fastest qualifier for the US in a new Games and national record of 48.50, with Mahdi Afri of Morocco, Rouay Jebabli of Tunisia and another Moroccan, the world-record holder Abdeslam Hili, also well inside 49 seconds and making it through to Thursday’s final.

2.09pm BST

Greetings. Stuart here to mop up the rest of the day seven action.

First of all, here’s Paul MacInnes on Columba Blango’s T20 400m bronze medal for ParalympicsGB …

1.51pm BST

ParalympicsGB’s Jordanne Whiley is through to the semi-finals of the women’s singles wheelchair tennis. The fourth seed fended off a late comeback from the USA’s Dana Mathewson – who was 4-1 down but pulled back to 5-5 – and emerged a winner in three sets, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5. Whiley broke down in tears at her win, and will look to better the bronze Paralympic medal she won at 2012 and 2016. Her father Keith was also a Paralympian and won bronze in 1984 in New York.

1.40pm BST

Hello everyone. First bit of business to catch you up on is Oksana Masters, who has had the most remarkable story: overcoming birth defects thought to be from the aftermath of Chernobyl, the world’s worst nuclear accident, issues within Ukrainian orphanages as a child, adoption to the US,

Her victory in the H4-5 hand-cycle time trial means she is one of just 28 athletes to have won gold at both the Winter and Summer Paralympics, having previously won two golds in cross-country skiing at the 2018 Paralympics in Pyeongchang. This is made all the more ridiculous given she had a tumor removed from her femur in late May and dislocated her elbow in 2018. Truly, an amazing human.

1.32pm BST

We had:

1.30pm BST

The rain is tipping down at the athletics stadium, but Lisbelia Marina Vera Andrade does not seem to mind at all. She receives her gold medal for her 100 metres win and looks like she’s on cloud nine.

1.29pm BST

Competition is mostly over for the evening. There are some men’s 400m T12 heats, and the last big event is the women’s 400m T37 final. Netherlands are smashing Japan in the women’s wheelchair basketball quarterfinal. There are a couple of table tennis quarters going on, and a couple more throws in the men’s F32 shot put.

1.26pm BST

We never know the story behind every athlete who we see, but this one is extraordinary.

1.23pm BST

If you’re not up to date on the latest storey added to Dame Sarah’s tower of gold.

1.13pm BST

The Australian star produces a brilliant finish – she’s back in fourth place and boxed in by the line as they come around the final bend, but she goes the long way around to the outside and burns home to reach the medals. Can’t catch the front two, where Manuela Schaer and Zhou Zouqian were locked together. The Swiss racer had front spot for most of the race, but the Chinese racer has the finishing speed to take her at the close.

1.09pm BST

Women’s 1500m T54 final is underway, the wheelchair race.

1.08pm BST

High jump: Gold for Sam Grewe of the USA in the men’s T63 leaping. Doesn’t touch his own world record of 1.90, but is happy with 1.88 to win. And India will be rapt with silver and bronze, if the reaction to javelin silver and bronze was anything to by.

Mariyappan Thangavelu jumps 1.86 for silver, Sharad Kumar 1.83 for bronze.

12.59pm BST

Athletics: In other results, the USA’s Breanna Clark beats her own world record in the women’s 400m T20 race. Her time is 55.18, ahead of Ukraine’s Yuliia Shuliar, and Brazil’s Jardenia Felix Barbosa de Silva.

And more for Ukraine, with gold and silver in the men’s F20 shot put. Maksym Koval also produces a world record, with 17.34 metres ahead of his compatriot Oleksandr Yarovyi. Bronze for Greece, with Efstratios Nikolaidis.

12.55pm BST

How about this for a gold medal performance? Hungarian jumper Luca Ekler already held the world record in the women’s T38 category. That was 5.51m. Tonight, she breaks her world record with her first jump, 5.60m. Then breaks it again with her second jump, 5.63m. Doesn’t need to do much more than that, frankly.

The Russian Margarita Goncharova jumps 5.29 for silver, while Great Britain’s Breen jumps 4.91 for bronze.

12.45pm BST

Wheelchair tennis: The quad singles defence is on for Alcott. He was tested today, he was questioned today, and he comes through at the last. Puts Vink in a position where the Dutchman has to try a huge lofted return, and it carries past the baseline. They meet at the net and embrace, and it’s extremely emotional - there are tears from Vink, and Alcott has his arms around him, rubbing his head, telling him over and over that he played so well. Vink really did come close to unseating the best that there is, and he feels the hurt of that more than the pride. After spending some time courtside with his head in his towel, he emerges to make a heart sign to his supporters in the stand. Alcott is just rolling around the court in disbelief almost, beaming in all directions.

12.41pm BST

Wheelchair tennis: Second match point for Alcott.

12.41pm BST

Wheelchair tennis: ... which Alcott saves, just landing his serve in by a centimetre, then hitting a backhand winner down the line.

12.40pm BST

Wheelchair tennis: Now Alcott hits into the net and Vink has a break point...

12.39pm BST

Wheelchair tennis: An incredible rally and Vink saves match point. About 20 shots back and forth, Alcott makes a couple of returns when they looked gone, but eventually the Dutchman brings it to deuce by working Alcott so wide that his backhand hits the umpire’s chair.

12.37pm BST

Wheelchair tennis: Match point comes up as Alcott controls the point beautifully, working Vink around the court.

12.36pm BST

Wheelchair tennis: Alcott serving for the match, but Vink wins the first two points to reach 0-30. Hits one wide to give a point back to Alcott, who then produces a great volley that gives Vink little chance. 30-30.

12.35pm BST

Table tennis: Spicy. William Bayley and Paul Karabardak form the Great Britain team in the men’s Class 6-7 team draw, and they’ve beaten the Australians in their quarterfinal. Trevor Hirth and Jake Ballestrino are out. I think that making a semifinal in table tennis means you get a bronze medal either way, which Bayley could add to his silver from the singles.

12.32pm BST

Wheelchair tennis: Not exactly a lift, but a couple of unforced errors give Alcott two break points against Vink... and the Dutchman concedes the game! Hits one long, and Alcott has a 5-4 lead and will serve for the match.

12.30pm BST

Wheelchair tennis: Dylan Alcott is not having an easy day of it! Has to save break point with games level in the third set. And he does, to square the set at 4-4, but he led by a break earlier and let it slip. Needs to lift, the champ.

12.28pm BST

Athletics: The third 100m race is the T47, for runners with an upper limb impairment. And it is a sensational dip on the line that takes the race for Lisbelia Marina Vera Andrade. Brittni Mason of the USA holds the world record over this distance, she got a great start, and she led right up to the line. But somehow Vera Andrade got within distance to strike. The result takes a couple of minutes to come through, and the difference is thousandths of a second. Mason is upset, Vera Andrade is whooping and hollering in the pouring rain.

Deja Young takes bronze for the USA.

12.22pm BST

We have three women’s 100m races in quick succession. The T11 just earlier, now the T13 for less severe visual impairment. Adiaratou Igelsias Forneiro wins it, Lamiya Valiyeva (Azerbaijan) silver, Kym Crosby (USA) bronze.

12.19pm BST

Wheelchair tennis: Vink has three break points to get games back level in the third set against Alcott... and converts! This is getting tense.

12.17pm BST

Boccia: Great Britain has at least a silver guaranteed, after Smith beats Jose de Oliveira of Brazil in the BC1 semifinal.

12.10pm BST

Athletics: It’s been rain on the running track, and the T11 women’s 100m runners have to do it in the wet. Linda Patricia Perez Lopez wins the gold for Venezuela. She’s the Diesel Williams of the 100 metres.

Liu Cuiqing wins silver for China, Thalita Simplicio de Silva bronze. The other Brazilian runner doesn’t finish: Jerusa Geber dos Santos had her tether to her guide break - this is a vision-impaired race - and couldn’t continue. Really sad.

12.05pm BST

Wheelchair tennis: Alcott breaks serve early in the third set! Gets big cheers from the Australian athlete contingent as he leads 2-0.

12.04pm BST

Athletics: A Dutch sandwich (is that a tax evasion technique?) in the women’s 200m T64. Marlene van Gansewinkel gets the gold, Kimberley Alkemade the bronze, either side of Irmgard Bensuan for Germany. Keeping it Teutonic.

12.00pm BST

Wheelchair basketball: China dust Great Britain’s women 47-33 in the quarterfinals.

11.59am BST

Wheelchair tennis: Vink wins the second set in the quad singles. Dylan Alcott is not invincible.

11.54am BST

Swimming: This is the vision-impaired mixed relay, two men and two women per team. Brazil send their two male swimmers first to build a lead. The Russians have their female swimmers second and third. Ukraine have their men second and fourth. They send Anna Stesenko third, their speedster, and Kyrylo Garashchenko last to chase down the leaders.

It nearly works. Brazil has a big lead with three swimmers done, but the Russians starts to reduce it. For Ukraine, Stetsenko puts Garashchenko in a good position through the third leg, and he then eats up a lot more ground during his first lap. During the final lap he’s charging home between Maria Gomes Santiago and Vladimiar Sotnikov. Brazil drop from gold to silver, Garashchenko ramapges, but Gomes Santiago hangs tough and touches before him.

11.41am BST

Wheelchair tennis: Alcott holds serve, but still trails 4-3 in the second set. Won the first.

11.39am BST

Athletics: Gold for Mexico in the men’s 400m T38. Jose Chessani Garcia crosses well clear of Mohamad Farhat Chida (Tunisia) and Zachary Gingras (Canada).

11.37am BST

Wheelchair tennis: Vink has broken serve against Alcott in the second set. He’s up 4-2, and has deuce on Alcott’s serve right now. Interesting.

11.27am BST

Swimming: Sophie Pascoe already holds the world record in the 100m freestyle S9 from a couple of years ago, so it’s not exactly a surprise that she should win, but it’s a big result for New Zealand. She’s ahead of Spain’s Sarai Gascon, and Brazil’s Mariana Ribeiro.

11.21am BST

Swimming: Bronze in the men’s S10 final, then silver in the women’s. Jasmine Greenwood swims an excellent race to finish just behind Mikaela Jenkins of the USA. Chantalle Zijderveld takes bronze for Netherlands. First medal of the Games for Greenwood and Jenkins, while Zijderveld previously won gold in the 100m breaststroke and two silvers in the 100m and 50m freestyle.

11.17am BST

Athletics: The track and the pool are operating side by side tonight. Charles-Antoine Kouakou takes the first gold of the Tokyo evening session, the men’s T20 intellectual disability division. He wasn’t in the running turning into the home straight, but threw out huge strides in those last 50 metres to charge past Luis Felipe Rodriguez Bolivar (Venezuela) and Columba Blango (Great Britain) for the gold.

11.13am BST

Swimming: The men’s S10 category sees Col Pearce swim in third. No chance of catching Maksym Krypak, as the Ukrainian busts the old world record and sets 54.15. Stefano Raimondi wins silver for Italy.

11.10am BST

Table tennis: Australia wins the teams quarterfinal against France in Class 9-10. Ma Lin and Joel Coughlan are through to a semi.

Not so much luck for Great Britain’s team of Ashley Facey Thompson and Joshua Stacey, who go down to China 2-0.

11.00am BST

Wheelchair tennis: Alcott has taken the first set against Vink.

11.00am BST

Swimming: The women’s 100m freestyle S7 goes to Giulia Terzi, another swimming gold for Italy. Overall Italy has 11 gold, 17 silver and 14 bronze at the games. Silver in this race goes to McKenzie Coan of the States.

Bronze is a dead heat! Ukraine gets one thanks to Yelyzaveta Mereshko, who touches at exactly the same time as Yuyan Jiang from China. They are both S6 athletes, though this race also contains S7 swimmers. Both the gold and silver medallists were S7, and Terzi has set a new Games record for the S7 category, but Mereshko and Yuyan have set a new world record for S6 swimmers.

10.46am BST

Wheelchair basketball: The Great British women’s team are not having a good comp. They won only once in the four pool matches, made the quarters anyway because of the rather generous qualification scheme where eight out of ten teams make it through, and now they’re down 23-10 to China in the second quarter.

10.42am BST

Wheelchair tennis: The Australian champion - Rio 2016, seven Australian Opens, three French, three Wimbledon, two US Open - is up in his semifinal against the Dutchman Niels Vink. Alcott leading on serve 4-3 in the first set.

10.37am BST

Boccia: Great Britain’s Scott McCowan loses his BC3 semifinal to Grigorios Polychronidis from Greece.

10.26am BST

Swimming: A Ukraine sandwich in the men’s 50 freestyle S7, with Andrii Trusov gold and Yevhenii Bohodaiki bronze, either side of the Colombian Carlos Serrano Zarate.

10.20am BST

Swimming: In the women’s 50m breaststroke SB3, Marta Infante Fernandez comes in first. She took silver in the 50 butterfly, and she’s sitting poolside in streams of tears at winning gold. Natalia Butkova of the RPC gets silver, while Mexico score another medal with Nely Miranda Herrera’s bronze.

10.17am BST

Swimming: Anulfo Castorena wins gold in the 50m breaststroke, the SB2 category. This bloke first achieved the feat in Sydney 2000. He won again in Athens. Didn’t swim in Beijing. Won silver in London. Came sixth in Rio. Now he’s back again, at the age of 43, to win in Tokyo. Remarkable.

Patterson’s first Games was London, but he’s never won a medal. Now he has. Jesus Hernandez with bronze completes a medal sandwich for Mexico.

10.12am BST

Football: Argentina win 3-0 over Thailand in the men’s group match.

9.54am BST

Swimming: In the women’s 200 medley, the SM14 category, Britain sweep the places from second to fourth. Bethany Firth, Louise Fiddes, and Jessica-Jane Applegate take those places, behind Valeriia Shabalina of the RPC. Her third gold of the Games, after the 100 fly and the 200 freestyle.

9.44am BST

Swimming: Reece Dunn does it in the 200m individual medley, in 2:08:02. A straightforward swim: hit the front during the butterfly, held the lead through the backstroke, gave away some ground during the breaststroke. All eyes would have been on Gabriel Bandeira coming into the last lap, because the Brazilian has had a brilliant Games and is a powerful freestyle sprinter. But Bandeira was lagging through the breaststroke lap. He turned... I don’t know, fifth or sixth it looked like? But powered through the freestyle lap to end up with silver. Dunn needed a world record to hold him off. Bronze, Vasyl Krainyk for Ukraine.

9.38am BST

Football: Angel Deldo Garcia has added a second goal for Argentina against Thailand in the 5-a-side.

9.36am BST

Table tennis: In other British news, Billy Shilton and Aaron McKibbin have won their Class 8 quarterfinal against Hungary 2-0. They won the doubles before Shelton swept Andras Csonka in the singles, obviating the need for the other singles match.

9.35am BST

Swimming: The men’s 100m S12 goes to Raman Salei in a three-way tussle at the finish. He already won the 100 backstroke, now this. Azerbaijan have had a fine Games, with nine gold medals so far. Maksym Veraska, the Ukrainian favourite and world record holder, finishes a good two seconds outside his own fastest time and takes silver. Stephen Clegg wins the bronze for Great Britain.

Time for the women’s race. Hannah Russell in there for the Brits. The world record here is from London 2012, and Oxana Savchenko is not on the scene. Two Brazilians in the race. A charge for the finish between three, and Maria Carolina Gomes Santiago wins gold for Brazil! She won the 50, now the 100. Has the best start, first into the 50m wall, and holds off the Russian Daria Pikalova at the far end. Russell gets in a good turn, which helps her stay near the front for bronze.

9.20am BST

Swimming: Andrei Nikolaev goes out strongly in the men’s 400m S8, leading from start to finish - but only just at the finish. Alberto Amadeo is less than a second behind, and the Italian stayed on the Russian’s tail like a hound on a rabbit through the whole last two laps. Nearly looked like he had him in the final lap, until Nikolaev used some last reserves in the last few metres. Bronze to Matthew Torres of the USA.

In the women’s race, Australia’s Lakeisha Patterson holds the world record in the S8 from the Rio Games, but she swam (and won) in the S9 category this time around. At Tokoy this time, it’s a USA double: Morgan Stickney arriving first after a powerful final 50 takes her past Jessica Long, with Francesa Palazzo a long way further back for an Italian bronze. Palazzo now has one medal of each colour at these Games.

9.01am BST

Football: Argentina lead Thailand 1-0 in the 5-a-side, still in the first half.

9.00am BST

Boccia: Great Britain’s David Smith beats Thailand’s Witsanua Huadpradit in the individual BC1 quarterfinals. Score was 6-1.

8.57am BST

Road cycling: Jana Majunke wins gold in the women’s T1-2 time trial. It looks like Germany is on for a one-two, until Cooke’s final lap at a fast pace boosts her up from third in the standings to second. Angelika Kaeser ends up with bronze, Jill Walsh of the USA in fourth place.

8.25am BST

Wheelhair tennis: Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid are through to the gold medal match of the men’s doubles, beating the hometown pair Shingo Kunieda and Takashi Sunada in straight sets.

8.20am BST

On approx Tokyo time, my next five hours with you will include:

4:30 - Argentina Thailand in the men’s 5-a-side football.
5pm - Swiming finals begin in 400 free S8, 100 free S12, 200 IM SM14, 50 breaststroke SB2 and 3, 50 and 100 free S7, 100 butterfly S10 and 9, mixed 4x100 relay.
6:15 - Great Britain China women’s wheelchair basketball quarter-finals.
7pm - Medals in women’s T38 long jump final, men’s F20 shot put final, men’s 400m T20 final, men’s shot put F32 final.
7:30 - Medals in men’s high jump T63, men’s 400m T38, women’s 200m T64.
7:30 - Spain Morocco in the men’s 5-a-side football.
7:30 - Australia v Great Britain men’s team table tennis quarter final.
8pm - Medals in women’s 100m T11, T13, T47.
8:30 - Medals in women’s 400m T20, women’s 1500m T54.

8.09am BST

Thanks Emma. Another avalanche of medals coming up tonight on track and field. The last of the cycling time trials is close to wrapping up. Australia’s Carol Cooke in bronze medal position there.

8.03am BST

I’m going to hand you over to Mr Geoff Lemon now, who is here all week.

7.58am BST

The Irish tandem wins the women's B time trial! #ParaCycling #Gold Katie-George Dunlevy (pilot: Eve McCrystal) #IRE #Silver Lora Fachie (pilot: Corrine Hall) #GBR #Bronze Louise Jannering (pilot: Anna Svaerdstroem) #SWE @ParalympicsIRE @UCI_paracycling #Tokyo2020 #Paralympics

7.53am BST

Five-a-side football: In the men’s competition, China overcame Japan 2-0 earlier before Brazil beat France 4-0. That wraps up Group A, meaning leaders Brazil and second-placed China progress. Group B will be decided over the next few hours when Argentina face Thailand and Morocco play Spain.

7.44am BST

It’s Patrik Kuril (45:47.10) on top of the podium in the men’s C4 time trial and compatriot Jozef Metelka (46:05.05) next in line. GB’s George Peasgood (46:08.93) takes bronze just ahead of the USA’s Cody Jung (47:09.44).

7.38am BST

Benjamin Watson has done it in the men’s C3 time trial in 35:00.82, ahead of a German two-three of Steffen Warias (35:57.41) and Matthias Schindler (36:17.95). Other Brits Finlay Graham finished in fourth and Jaco van Gass sixth, while Australian David Nicholas finished eighth and American Joseph Berenyi back in 14th.

7.31am BST

Hossain Rassouli, one of the two Paralympic athletes evacuated from Afghanistan in an emergency operation last week, has been able to take part in competition at Tokyo’s flagship Olympic Stadium.

The 26-year-old, who is primarily a sprinter, competed in the T47 long jump on Tuesday morning. He finished in last place, but recorded a personal best distance of 4m 46 as he took the applause of the competing athletes and delegates.

7.24am BST

Goalball: For anyone yet to acquaint themselves with this superb sport exclusive to the vision-impaired, there is still time. The men’s quarter-finals are on now. China have already beaten Japan 7-4, the United States are currently losing 3-1 to Ukraine, and still to come are Belgium v Lithuania and Brazil v Turkey.

The lowdown is thus ...

7.06am BST

Road cycling: There is some dialogue being exchanged at the Fuji International Speedway which can only be described as “Aussie banter”.

The Seven Network reporter on the ground, referred to by the studio as “Stubbsy”, asks Alistair Donohoe how he reacts to his bronze medal. “With absolute massive stoke,” replies Donohoe, who is known as the “flying mullet”.

Congratulations @AlistairDonohoe!

SILVER in the Men's 4000m Individual Pursuit C5.#ReadySetTokyo #Tokyo2020 #Paralympics #ParaCycling pic.twitter.com/pnzt1wTyCk

6.50am BST

The second session has started at the Fuji International Speedway and Daniel Abraham has just won gold in the men’s C5 time trial in a fashion which can only be described as dominant. The Dutchman finished in 42:46.45, ahead of Ukraine’s silver medallist Yegor Dementyev (43:19.11), while Australian Alistair Donohoe (43:36.80) claimed bronze.

6.39am BST

Speaking of images, here are the best across the board from yesterday:

6.31am BST

Archery: There are some remarkable images coming out of Yumenoshima Park, where the morning session has finished. He Zihao won gold in the men’s open individual compound Iran’s Ramezan Biabani 147-143 in the final. China rounded out the podium after Ai Xinliang won his bronze medal match 144-142 against Slovak Marcel Pavlik.

6.14am BST

Boccia: Good news for Australian Dan Michel, who has beaten Korea’s Kim Hansoo 8-0 in the BC3 quarter-finals. He will play Czech Adam Peska in the semis at 5.15pm local time.

Semi-final bound! The #AUS #Boccia team of @dan_michel95 and ramp asst Ash McClure are through to the #Tokyo2020 semi-finals.

Watch live on @7plus from 6.15pm (AEST): https://t.co/qZj9z7nwIb #ReadySetTokyo #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/IMvZxObTjR

6.04am BST

Athletics: Cuban visually impaired sprinter Omara Durand Elías has absolutely rocked the T12 400m field to claimed her third straight title in the women’s in 52.58 seconds. She beat silver medallist Oxana Boturchuk (55.33) and Alejandra Paola Perez Lopez (57.06).

This latest gold brings the 29-year-old’s total to six across three Games.

5.47am BST

Wheelchair basketball: The Australian women’s team have finished ninth after doing a 71-32 number on Algeria earlier.

5.35am BST

Road cycling: Sarah Storey eclipsed all competition to win her second gold medal in the C5 time trial on Tuesday morning. In doing so she also drew level with the swimmer Mike Kenny as the most successful British Paralympian of all time.

The Dame finished a minute and a half clear of teammate Crystal Lane-Wright and, at points, was catching the tail of the men’s race at the Fuji International Speedway circuit, so dominant was her performance. That is standard for Storey, who spoke afterwards of the “single-mindedness” that has brought her 16 gold medals to this point and the prospect of another, a record-breaking 17th, in two days’ time.

5.26am BST

Athletics: Another Aussie success on Tuesday morning for James Turner, who won the men’s 400m (T36). Turner finished well ahead in 52.80 seconds, pushing himself so close to the limit he required medical attention afterwards (all was fine).

“I’m quite emotional right now,” he said. “A lot of work has been done by a lot of people to get me here. The last 50 of a 400 is always hard – the heat and the effort. My muscles started tightening up, I started losing control of them, but I was able to hold it together with my training.”

5.14am BST

Bit to catch up on from this morning, with Australian Darren Hicks adding a Paralympic road cycling gold to track silver medal. He was pretty emotional afterwards but managed to articulate a message for his wife Carys who was watching on back at home.

“Sorry I stressed you out babe, but we got there,” he told the Seven Network. “I think I’ll be excited later, but for now it’s relief. I’ve worked so hard for this and wanted it for so long… I’m just so happy.

5.02am BST

Hello and welcome to day seven of the Tokyo Paralympics. Tokyo is again hot and humid, and again there are a stack of medals to be won. Here are a few highlights coming our way, courtesy of my colleague Martin Belam.

All events are listed here in local Tokyo time. Add an hour for Sydney, subtract eight hours for Wolverhampton, 13 hours for New York and 16 hours for San Francisco.

View more on Geoff Lemon's website »

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Published on August 31, 2021 06:44

Tokyo 2020 Paralympics: GB’s Dunn wins swimming gold with world record – live!

Results | Medal table | Full coverage Sign up for the Guardian’s daily Paralympics briefing Email, tweet @GeoffLemonSport or comment below the line

1.51pm BST

ParalympicsGB’s Jordanne Whiley is through to the semi-finals of the women’s singles wheelchair tennis. The fourth seed saw off the USA’s Dana Mathewson in three sets, coming from 5-1 down in the final set to clinch a comeback victory. Whiley broke down in tears at her win, and will look to better the bronze Paralympic medal she won at 2012 and 2016. Keith, who was also a Paralympian and won a bronze medal in 1984 in New York.

1.40pm BST

Hello everyone. First bit of business to catch you up on is Oksana Masters, who has had the most remarkable story: overcoming birth defects thought to be from the aftermath of Chernobyl, the world’s worst nuclear accident, issues within Ukrainian orphanages as a child, adoption to the US,

Her victory in the H4-5 hand-cycle time trial means she is one of just 28 athletes to have won gold at both the Winter and Summer Paralympics, having previously won two golds in cross-country skiing at the 2018 Paralympics in Pyeongchang. This is made all the more ridiculous given she had a tumor removed from her femur in late May and dislocated her elbow in 2018. Truly, an amazing human.

1.32pm BST

We had:

1.30pm BST

The rain is tipping down at the athletics stadium, but Lisbelia Marina Vera Andrade does not seem to mind at all. She receives her gold medal for her 100 metres win and looks like she’s on cloud nine.

1.29pm BST

Competition is mostly over for the evening. There are some men’s 400m T12 heats, and the last big event is the women’s 400m T37 final. Netherlands are smashing Japan in the women’s wheelchair basketball quarterfinal. There are a couple of table tennis quarters going on, and a couple more throws in the men’s F32 shot put.

1.26pm BST

We never know the story behind every athlete who we see, but this one is extraordinary.

1.23pm BST

If you’re not up to date on the latest storey added to Dame Sarah’s tower of gold.

1.13pm BST

The Australian star produces a brilliant finish – she’s back in fourth place and boxed in by the line as they come around the final bend, but she goes the long way around to the outside and burns home to reach the medals. Can’t catch the front two, where Manuela Schaer and Zhou Zouqian were locked together. The Swiss racer had front spot for most of the race, but the Chinese racer has the finishing speed to take her at the close.

1.09pm BST

Women’s 1500m T54 final is underway, the wheelchair race.

1.08pm BST

High jump: Gold for Sam Grewe of the USA in the men’s T63 leaping. Doesn’t touch his own world record of 1.90, but is happy with 1.88 to win. And India will be rapt with silver and bronze, if the reaction to javelin silver and bronze was anything to by.

Mariyappan Thangavelu jumps 1.86 for silver, Sharad Kumar 1.83 for bronze.

12.59pm BST

Athletics: In other results, the USA’s Breanna Clark beats her own world record in the women’s 400m T20 race. Her time is 55.18, ahead of Ukraine’s Yuliia Shuliar, and Brazil’s Jardenia Felix Barbosa de Silva.

And more for Ukraine, with gold and silver in the men’s F20 shot put. Maksym Koval also produces a world record, with 17.34 metres ahead of his compatriot Oleksandr Yarovyi. Bronze for Greece, with Efstratios Nikolaidis.

12.55pm BST

How about this for a gold medal performance? Hungarian jumper Luca Ekler already held the world record in the women’s T38 category. That was 5.51m. Tonight, she breaks her world record with her first jump, 5.60m. Then breaks it again with her second jump, 5.63m. Doesn’t need to do much more than that, frankly.

The Russian Margarita Goncharova jumps 5.29 for silver, while Great Britain’s Breen jumps 4.91 for bronze.

12.45pm BST

Wheelchair tennis: The quad singles defence is on for Alcott. He was tested today, he was questioned today, and he comes through at the last. Puts Vink in a position where the Dutchman has to try a huge lofted return, and it carries past the baseline. They meet at the net and embrace, and it’s extremely emotional - there are tears from Vink, and Alcott has his arms around him, rubbing his head, telling him over and over that he played so well. Vink really did come close to unseating the best that there is, and he feels the hurt of that more than the pride. After spending some time courtside with his head in his towel, he emerges to make a heart sign to his supporters in the stand. Alcott is just rolling around the court in disbelief almost, beaming in all directions.

12.41pm BST

Wheelchair tennis: Second match point for Alcott.

12.41pm BST

Wheelchair tennis: ... which Alcott saves, just landing his serve in by a centimetre, then hitting a backhand winner down the line.

12.40pm BST

Wheelchair tennis: Now Alcott hits into the net and Vink has a break point...

12.39pm BST

Wheelchair tennis: An incredible rally and Vink saves match point. About 20 shots back and forth, Alcott makes a couple of returns when they looked gone, but eventually the Dutchman brings it to deuce by working Alcott so wide that his backhand hits the umpire’s chair.

12.37pm BST

Wheelchair tennis: Match point comes up as Alcott controls the point beautifully, working Vink around the court.

12.36pm BST

Wheelchair tennis: Alcott serving for the match, but Vink wins the first two points to reach 0-30. Hits one wide to give a point back to Alcott, who then produces a great volley that gives Vink little chance. 30-30.

12.35pm BST

Table tennis: Spicy. William Bayley and Paul Karabardak form the Great Britain team in the men’s Class 6-7 team draw, and they’ve beaten the Australians in their quarterfinal. Trevor Hirth and Jake Ballestrino are out. I think that making a semifinal in table tennis means you get a bronze medal either way, which Bayley could add to his silver from the singles.

12.32pm BST

Wheelchair tennis: Not exactly a lift, but a couple of unforced errors give Alcott two break points against Vink... and the Dutchman concedes the game! Hits one long, and Alcott has a 5-4 lead and will serve for the match.

12.30pm BST

Wheelchair tennis: Dylan Alcott is not having an easy day of it! Has to save break point with games level in the third set. And he does, to square the set at 4-4, but he led by a break earlier and let it slip. Needs to lift, the champ.

12.28pm BST

Athletics: The third 100m race is the T47, for runners with an upper limb impairment. And it is a sensational dip on the line that takes the race for Lisbelia Marina Vera Andrade. Brittni Mason of the USA holds the world record over this distance, she got a great start, and she led right up to the line. But somehow Vera Andrade got within distance to strike. The result takes a couple of minutes to come through, and the difference is thousandths of a second. Mason is upset, Vera Andrade is whooping and hollering in the pouring rain.

Deja Young takes bronze for the USA.

12.22pm BST

We have three women’s 100m races in quick succession. The T11 just earlier, now the T13 for less severe visual impairment. Adiaratou Igelsias Forneiro wins it, Lamiya Valiyeva (Azerbaijan) silver, Kym Crosby (USA) bronze.

12.19pm BST

Wheelchair tennis: Vink has three break points to get games back level in the third set against Alcott... and converts! This is getting tense.

12.17pm BST

Boccia: Great Britain has at least a silver guaranteed, after Smith beats Jose de Oliveira of Brazil in the BC1 semifinal.

12.10pm BST

Athletics: It’s been rain on the running track, and the T11 women’s 100m runners have to do it in the wet. Linda Patricia Perez Lopez wins the gold for Venezuela. She’s the Diesel Williams of the 100 metres.

Liu Cuiqing wins silver for China, Thalita Simplicio de Silva bronze. The other Brazilian runner doesn’t finish: Jerusa Geber dos Santos had her tether to her guide break - this is a vision-impaired race - and couldn’t continue. Really sad.

12.05pm BST

Wheelchair tennis: Alcott breaks serve early in the third set! Gets big cheers from the Australian athlete contingent as he leads 2-0.

12.04pm BST

Athletics: A Dutch sandwich (is that a tax evasion technique?) in the women’s 200m T64. Marlene van Gansewinkel gets the gold, Kimberley Alkemade the bronze, either side of Irmgard Bensuan for Germany. Keeping it Teutonic.

12.00pm BST

Wheelchair basketball: China dust Great Britain’s women 47-33 in the quarterfinals.

11.59am BST

Wheelchair tennis: Vink wins the second set in the quad singles. Dylan Alcott is not invincible.

11.54am BST

Swimming: This is the vision-impaired mixed relay, two men and two women per team. Brazil send their two male swimmers first to build a lead. The Russians have their female swimmers second and third. Ukraine have their men second and fourth. They send Anna Stesenko third, their speedster, and Kyrylo Garashchenko last to chase down the leaders.

It nearly works. Brazil has a big lead with three swimmers done, but the Russians starts to reduce it. For Ukraine, Stetsenko puts Garashchenko in a good position through the third leg, and he then eats up a lot more ground during his first lap. During the final lap he’s charging home between Maria Gomes Santiago and Vladimiar Sotnikov. Brazil drop from gold to silver, Garashchenko ramapges, but Gomes Santiago hangs tough and touches before him.

11.41am BST

Wheelchair tennis: Alcott holds serve, but still trails 4-3 in the second set. Won the first.

11.39am BST

Athletics: Gold for Mexico in the men’s 400m T38. Jose Chessani Garcia crosses well clear of Mohamad Farhat Chida (Tunisia) and Zachary Gingras (Canada).

11.37am BST

Wheelchair tennis: Vink has broken serve against Alcott in the second set. He’s up 4-2, and has deuce on Alcott’s serve right now. Interesting.

11.27am BST

Swimming: Sophie Pascoe already holds the world record in the 100m freestyle S9 from a couple of years ago, so it’s not exactly a surprise that she should win, but it’s a big result for New Zealand. She’s ahead of Spain’s Sarai Gascon, and Brazil’s Mariana Ribeiro.

11.21am BST

Swimming: Bronze in the men’s S10 final, then silver in the women’s. Jasmine Greenwood swims an excellent race to finish just behind Mikaela Jenkins of the USA. Chantalle Zijderveld takes bronze for Netherlands. First medal of the Games for Greenwood and Jenkins, while Zijderveld previously won gold in the 100m breaststroke and two silvers in the 100m and 50m freestyle.

11.17am BST

Athletics: The track and the pool are operating side by side tonight. Charles-Antoine Kouakou takes the first gold of the Tokyo evening session, the men’s T20 intellectual disability division. He wasn’t in the running turning into the home straight, but threw out huge strides in those last 50 metres to charge past Luis Felipe Rodriguez Bolivar (Venezuela) and Columba Blango (Great Britain) for the gold.

11.13am BST

Swimming: The men’s S10 category sees Col Pearce swim in third. No chance of catching Maksym Krypak, as the Ukrainian busts the old world record and sets 54.15. Stefano Raimondi wins silver for Italy.

11.10am BST

Table tennis: Australia wins the teams quarterfinal against France in Class 9-10. Ma Lin and Joel Coughlan are through to a semi.

Not so much luck for Great Britain’s team of Ashley Facey Thompson and Joshua Stacey, who go down to China 2-0.

11.00am BST

Wheelchair tennis: Alcott has taken the first set against Vink.

11.00am BST

Swimming: The women’s 100m freestyle S7 goes to Giulia Terzi, another swimming gold for Italy. Overall Italy has 11 gold, 17 silver and 14 bronze at the games. Silver in this race goes to McKenzie Coan of the States.

Bronze is a dead heat! Ukraine gets one thanks to Yelyzaveta Mereshko, who touches at exactly the same time as Yuyan Jiang from China. They are both S6 athletes, though this race also contains S7 swimmers. Both the gold and silver medallists were S7, and Terzi has set a new Games record for the S7 category, but Mereshko and Yuyan have set a new world record for S6 swimmers.

10.46am BST

Wheelchair basketball: The Great British women’s team are not having a good comp. They won only once in the four pool matches, made the quarters anyway because of the rather generous qualification scheme where eight out of ten teams make it through, and now they’re down 23-10 to China in the second quarter.

10.42am BST

Wheelchair tennis: The Australian champion - Rio 2016, seven Australian Opens, three French, three Wimbledon, two US Open - is up in his semifinal against the Dutchman Niels Vink. Alcott leading on serve 4-3 in the first set.

10.37am BST

Boccia: Great Britain’s Scott McCowan loses his BC3 semifinal to Grigorios Polychronidis from Greece.

10.26am BST

Swimming: A Ukraine sandwich in the men’s 50 freestyle S7, with Andrii Trusov gold and Yevhenii Bohodaiki bronze, either side of the Colombian Carlos Serrano Zarate.

10.20am BST

Swimming: In the women’s 50m breaststroke SB3, Marta Infante Fernandez comes in first. She took silver in the 50 butterfly, and she’s sitting poolside in streams of tears at winning gold. Natalia Butkova of the RPC gets silver, while Mexico score another medal with Nely Miranda Herrera’s bronze.

10.17am BST

Swimming: Anulfo Castorena wins gold in the 50m breaststroke, the SB2 category. This bloke first achieved the feat in Sydney 2000. He won again in Athens. Didn’t swim in Beijing. Won silver in London. Came sixth in Rio. Now he’s back again, at the age of 43, to win in Tokyo. Remarkable.

Patterson’s first Games was London, but he’s never won a medal. Now he has. Jesus Hernandez with bronze completes a medal sandwich for Mexico.

10.12am BST

Football: Argentina win 3-0 over Thailand in the men’s group match.

9.54am BST

Swimming: In the women’s 200 medley, the SM14 category, Britain sweep the places from second to fourth. Bethany Firth, Louise Fiddes, and Jessica-Jane Applegate take those places, behind Valeriia Shabalina of the RPC. Her third gold of the Games, after the 100 fly and the 200 freestyle.

9.44am BST

Swimming: Reece Dunn does it in the 200m individual medley, in 2:08:02. A straightforward swim: hit the front during the butterfly, held the lead through the backstroke, gave away some ground during the breaststroke. All eyes would have been on Gabriel Bandeira coming into the last lap, because the Brazilian has had a brilliant Games and is a powerful freestyle sprinter. But Bandeira was lagging through the breaststroke lap. He turned... I don’t know, fifth or sixth it looked like? But powered through the freestyle lap to end up with silver. Dunn needed a world record to hold him off. Bronze, Vasyl Krainyk for Ukraine.

9.38am BST

Football: Angel Deldo Garcia has added a second goal for Argentina against Thailand in the 5-a-side.

9.36am BST

Table tennis: In other British news, Billy Shilton and Aaron McKibbin have won their Class 8 quarterfinal against Hungary 2-0. They won the doubles before Shelton swept Andras Csonka in the singles, obviating the need for the other singles match.

9.35am BST

Swimming: The men’s 100m S12 goes to Raman Salei in a three-way tussle at the finish. He already won the 100 backstroke, now this. Azerbaijan have had a fine Games, with nine gold medals so far. Maksym Veraska, the Ukrainian favourite and world record holder, finishes a good two seconds outside his own fastest time and takes silver. Stephen Clegg wins the bronze for Great Britain.

Time for the women’s race. Hannah Russell in there for the Brits. The world record here is from London 2012, and Oxana Savchenko is not on the scene. Two Brazilians in the race. A charge for the finish between three, and Maria Carolina Gomes Santiago wins gold for Brazil! She won the 50, now the 100. Has the best start, first into the 50m wall, and holds off the Russian Daria Pikalova at the far end. Russell gets in a good turn, which helps her stay near the front for bronze.

9.20am BST

Swimming: Andrei Nikolaev goes out strongly in the men’s 400m S8, leading from start to finish - but only just at the finish. Alberto Amadeo is less than a second behind, and the Italian stayed on the Russian’s tail like a hound on a rabbit through the whole last two laps. Nearly looked like he had him in the final lap, until Nikolaev used some last reserves in the last few metres. Bronze to Matthew Torres of the USA.

In the women’s race, Australia’s Lakeisha Patterson holds the world record in the S8 from the Rio Games, but she swam (and won) in the S9 category this time around. At Tokoy this time, it’s a USA double: Morgan Stickney arriving first after a powerful final 50 takes her past Jessica Long, with Francesa Palazzo a long way further back for an Italian bronze. Palazzo now has one medal of each colour at these Games.

9.01am BST

Football: Argentina lead Thailand 1-0 in the 5-a-side, still in the first half.

9.00am BST

Boccia: Great Britain’s David Smith beats Thailand’s Witsanua Huadpradit in the individual BC1 quarterfinals. Score was 6-1.

8.57am BST

Road cycling: Jana Majunke wins gold in the women’s T1-2 time trial. It looks like Germany is on for a one-two, until Cooke’s final lap at a fast pace boosts her up from third in the standings to second. Angelika Kaeser ends up with bronze, Jill Walsh of the USA in fourth place.

8.25am BST

Wheelhair tennis: Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid are through to the gold medal match of the men’s doubles, beating the hometown pair Shingo Kunieda and Takashi Sunada in straight sets.

8.20am BST

On approx Tokyo time, my next five hours with you will include:

4:30 - Argentina Thailand in the men’s 5-a-side football.
5pm - Swiming finals begin in 400 free S8, 100 free S12, 200 IM SM14, 50 breaststroke SB2 and 3, 50 and 100 free S7, 100 butterfly S10 and 9, mixed 4x100 relay.
6:15 - Great Britain China women’s wheelchair basketball quarter-finals.
7pm - Medals in women’s T38 long jump final, men’s F20 shot put final, men’s 400m T20 final, men’s shot put F32 final.
7:30 - Medals in men’s high jump T63, men’s 400m T38, women’s 200m T64.
7:30 - Spain Morocco in the men’s 5-a-side football.
7:30 - Australia v Great Britain men’s team table tennis quarter final.
8pm - Medals in women’s 100m T11, T13, T47.
8:30 - Medals in women’s 400m T20, women’s 1500m T54.

8.09am BST

Thanks Emma. Another avalanche of medals coming up tonight on track and field. The last of the cycling time trials is close to wrapping up. Australia’s Carol Cooke in bronze medal position there.

8.03am BST

I’m going to hand you over to Mr Geoff Lemon now, who is here all week.

7.58am BST

The Irish tandem wins the women's B time trial! #ParaCycling #Gold Katie-George Dunlevy (pilot: Eve McCrystal) #IRE #Silver Lora Fachie (pilot: Corrine Hall) #GBR #Bronze Louise Jannering (pilot: Anna Svaerdstroem) #SWE @ParalympicsIRE @UCI_paracycling #Tokyo2020 #Paralympics

7.53am BST

Five-a-side football: In the men’s competition, China overcame Japan 2-0 earlier before Brazil beat France 4-0. That wraps up Group A, meaning leaders Brazil and second-placed China progress. Group B will be decided over the next few hours when Argentina face Thailand and Morocco play Spain.

7.44am BST

It’s Patrik Kuril (45:47.10) on top of the podium in the men’s C4 time trial and compatriot Jozef Metelka (46:05.05) next in line. GB’s George Peasgood (46:08.93) takes bronze just ahead of the USA’s Cody Jung (47:09.44).

7.38am BST

Benjamin Watson has done it in the men’s C3 time trial in 35:00.82, ahead of a German two-three of Steffen Warias (35:57.41) and Matthias Schindler (36:17.95). Other Brits Finlay Graham finished in fourth and Jaco van Gass sixth, while Australian David Nicholas finished eighth and American Joseph Berenyi back in 14th.

7.31am BST

Hossain Rassouli, one of the two Paralympic athletes evacuated from Afghanistan in an emergency operation last week, has been able to take part in competition at Tokyo’s flagship Olympic Stadium.

The 26-year-old, who is primarily a sprinter, competed in the T47 long jump on Tuesday morning. He finished in last place, but recorded a personal best distance of 4m 46 as he took the applause of the competing athletes and delegates.

7.24am BST

Goalball: For anyone yet to acquaint themselves with this superb sport exclusive to the vision-impaired, there is still time. The men’s quarter-finals are on now. China have already beaten Japan 7-4, the United States are currently losing 3-1 to Ukraine, and still to come are Belgium v Lithuania and Brazil v Turkey.

The lowdown is thus ...

7.06am BST

Road cycling: There is some dialogue being exchanged at the Fuji International Speedway which can only be described as “Aussie banter”.

The Seven Network reporter on the ground, referred to by the studio as “Stubbsy”, asks Alistair Donohoe how he reacts to his bronze medal. “With absolute massive stoke,” replies Donohoe, who is known as the “flying mullet”.

Congratulations @AlistairDonohoe!

SILVER in the Men's 4000m Individual Pursuit C5.#ReadySetTokyo #Tokyo2020 #Paralympics #ParaCycling pic.twitter.com/pnzt1wTyCk

6.50am BST

The second session has started at the Fuji International Speedway and Daniel Abraham has just won gold in the men’s C5 time trial in a fashion which can only be described as dominant. The Dutchman finished in 42:46.45, ahead of Ukraine’s silver medallist Yegor Dementyev (43:19.11), while Australian Alistair Donohoe (43:36.80) claimed bronze.

6.39am BST

Speaking of images, here are the best across the board from yesterday:

6.31am BST

Archery: There are some remarkable images coming out of Yumenoshima Park, where the morning session has finished. He Zihao won gold in the men’s open individual compound Iran’s Ramezan Biabani 147-143 in the final. China rounded out the podium after Ai Xinliang won his bronze medal match 144-142 against Slovak Marcel Pavlik.

6.14am BST

Boccia: Good news for Australian Dan Michel, who has beaten Korea’s Kim Hansoo 8-0 in the BC3 quarter-finals. He will play Czech Adam Peska in the semis at 5.15pm local time.

Semi-final bound! The #AUS #Boccia team of @dan_michel95 and ramp asst Ash McClure are through to the #Tokyo2020 semi-finals.

Watch live on @7plus from 6.15pm (AEST): https://t.co/qZj9z7nwIb #ReadySetTokyo #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/IMvZxObTjR

6.04am BST

Athletics: Cuban visually impaired sprinter Omara Durand Elías has absolutely rocked the T12 400m field to claimed her third straight title in the women’s in 52.58 seconds. She beat silver medallist Oxana Boturchuk (55.33) and Alejandra Paola Perez Lopez (57.06).

This latest gold brings the 29-year-old’s total to six across three Games.

5.47am BST

Wheelchair basketball: The Australian women’s team have finished ninth after doing a 71-32 number on Algeria earlier.

5.35am BST

Road cycling: Sarah Storey eclipsed all competition to win her second gold medal in the C5 time trial on Tuesday morning. In doing so she also drew level with the swimmer Mike Kenny as the most successful British Paralympian of all time.

The Dame finished a minute and a half clear of teammate Crystal Lane-Wright and, at points, was catching the tail of the men’s race at the Fuji International Speedway circuit, so dominant was her performance. That is standard for Storey, who spoke afterwards of the “single-mindedness” that has brought her 16 gold medals to this point and the prospect of another, a record-breaking 17th, in two days’ time.

5.26am BST

Athletics: Another Aussie success on Tuesday morning for James Turner, who won the men’s 400m (T36). Turner finished well ahead in 52.80 seconds, pushing himself so close to the limit he required medical attention afterwards (all was fine).

“I’m quite emotional right now,” he said. “A lot of work has been done by a lot of people to get me here. The last 50 of a 400 is always hard – the heat and the effort. My muscles started tightening up, I started losing control of them, but I was able to hold it together with my training.”

5.14am BST

Bit to catch up on from this morning, with Australian Darren Hicks adding a Paralympic road cycling gold to track silver medal. He was pretty emotional afterwards but managed to articulate a message for his wife Carys who was watching on back at home.

“Sorry I stressed you out babe, but we got there,” he told the Seven Network. “I think I’ll be excited later, but for now it’s relief. I’ve worked so hard for this and wanted it for so long… I’m just so happy.

5.02am BST

Hello and welcome to day seven of the Tokyo Paralympics. Tokyo is again hot and humid, and again there are a stack of medals to be won. Here are a few highlights coming our way, courtesy of my colleague Martin Belam.

All events are listed here in local Tokyo time. Add an hour for Sydney, subtract eight hours for Wolverhampton, 13 hours for New York and 16 hours for San Francisco.

View more on Geoff Lemon's website »

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Published on August 31, 2021 05:51

County cricket day one: Benjamin scores ton on Warwickshire debut to dominate Lancashire

Lancashire’s Saqib Mahmood went wicketless as the South African wicketkeeper made hay

8.36pm BST

There was much to get used to as the County Championship returned. Counties moved into three divisions, only one of which vies for the title.

Batting after months of white-ball cricket was easier for those with time to adjust in the middle order. Dom Sibley, Alastair Cook, Sam Robson, Mark Stoneman, Adam Lyth: former England Test openers of varying recency were all out early.

6.53pm BST

That’s it for the day here. It’s been fun, thanks for your company. Let’s do it again sometime.

6.52pm BST

At last they call stumps for Leicestershire and Kent. The former has a score of 66 for 5... yep. Trailing by 166 after giving up 68 for the last wicket. That would sting.

6.28pm BST

Glamorgan were rattled through by the Dutch international Shane Snater for Essex, who took 6 for 39 on the way to bowling them out for 134. Cook made a third-ball duck in reply, though they recovered to 92 for 2.

Yorkshire started slowly but steadily after Hampshire sent them in on a very green Ageas Bowl surface. They were going ok at 2 for 84, but Hampshire kept chipping away with wickets, including the first three to Kyle Abbott. At another stage it was 159 for 6, though Dom Bess with 45 not out took it to 197 for 6 at stumps.

6.17pm BST

Quite the day for Leicestershire. And not in a good way. A fifth wicket falls, they’re 5 for 47 when Harry Swindells gets out, and now they’re 5 for 50. So we’ve had 15 wickets in the day, and Kent are way ahead.

5.59pm BST

Oh hey, I wrote a thing about young Joey Root that may interest some of you cricket folk. I know he doesn’t play much county stuff these days but perhaps you could make an exception.

5.57pm BST

Two more wickets down for Leicestershire! Kent now have them 37 for 4. Lewis Hill gets skittled by Grant Stewart, and then Hasan Azad falls to...

STEVO.

5.53pm BST

That light ain’t getting any better. If anything, it’s getting... Worcester?

254 for 9 will be the overnight Sussex score at New Road, and Jack Carson on his career best score of 75 not out will have to come back tomorrow and see if he can recapture the magic. When he was flowing, it felt like he was some chance to snatch a hundred today. But it’ll be a much less likely thing for a lower-order bat to capture again in the morning.

5.46pm BST

Yorkshire creeping up on that bonus point thanks to Dom Bess, 45 not out as he takes them to 197 for 6...

5.44pm BST

A couple of wickets for Kent now, they’ve got Leicestershire 31 for 2. After his good work with the bat, Leaning takes the catch to dismiss Sam Evans off Milnes, then Billings catches Ackermann off Grant Stewart.

5.41pm BST

A word in from Alex Crampton at Old Trafford on the Lancashire travails, which go beyond the runs conceded.

“Quick note on Livingstone, he’s not been on the field for about two hours after getting some treatment following a dive at the long off boundary. Hopefully not any kind of serious shoulder problem. Poor Parky I also had a few overs off earlier after clocking one to the head off his own bowling, but he’s back to it now.”

5.35pm BST

Yes, that’s worth the big headline. After about 78 overs and 237 runs, the stand is broken. Benjamin is caught by Dane Vilas from Saqib’s bowling with the new ball for 127. Hain remains (mainly on the plain) with 107, joined by Will Rhodes. Warks 246 for 3.

5.33pm BST

Still playing in Cardiff, Hampshire, Manchester, Leicester, Taunton.

Off in Bristol, London, Worcester.

5.29pm BST

The Middlesex-Derbyshire game is off for bad light as well, at 217 for 5.

5.25pm BST

Worcestershire break the Carson-Crocombe stand, but it’s worth 66. The No10 got adventurous enough to score 9 by the end of his stay, with 41 balls faced. Jack Carson is still there, 80 not out at No9. And with two deliveries until the new ball is due, the umpires take the players off with bad light. Joe Sarro hasn’t faced a ball, but as soon as he came on strike the umpires said no. Sussex 254 for 9.

5.20pm BST

Lancashire have the new ball. 80 overs gone. And they desperately need it to do something against Warwickshire, at 240 for 2, with Benjamin 123 and Hain 105. Saqib has it in hand, and lets fly.

5.16pm BST

Leicestershire off to a good start against Kent, 25 without loss. That might help ease the annoyance of that last Kent partnership.

5.15pm BST

Parky One spent some time off the field earlier, too. The word from Lancs was “Injury delay. Matt Parkinson has been hit in the face after diving to stop the ball off his own bowling. He’s got a cut that needs attention off the field but reassuringly Matt was sharing a joke as he walked off so hopefully it’s not too bad.”

5.12pm BST

He’s on 102, Benjamin is on 116, and Warks have 230 for 2.

Tom Bailey has two wickets and no one else has a sniff. Lancashire have used seven bowlers already. Saqib Mahmood nearly made a Test debut last week. Today he’s bowled 15 overs for no joy. The Original Parky is into his 21st over. Liam Livingstone has been called on to bowl a few overs of filth.

5.09pm BST

That makes six out of eight teams with a batting bonus point, which I learned about below the line. You can too. It’s one of the only civilised BTL spaces in the whole internet. The teams without a bonus point are Yorkshire (yet, because they’re so slow, on 162 for 6) and Glamorgan (ever, because they were terrible).

5.07pm BST

Marchant de Lange does get a wicket for Somerset at last. Mullaney out for 42. Notts 208 for 6.

5.06pm BST

He’s kicked on to 55, the scoundrel. The score is up to a Benaud, 222, and the partnership for the ninth wicket is 39. Not only that, Crocombe has doubled his contribution to 2. Sussex having a ball. Worcs... not.

4.54pm BST

Whaddyaknow - all those old blokes were right, it definitely seems easier to bat in the middle of the innings than at the start.

4.52pm BST

It’s all about tail-end partnerships today. Jack Carson has 43 batting at No9 for Sussex, and a partnership of 25 with a bloke who has scored 1. Well done Henry Crocombe. Just hanging out, playing Nintendo. Sussex 208 for 8 in Worcester.

4.49pm BST

Let’s face it, Middlesex were done for earlier. And they’ve been going like a busted. And amongst that, Robbie White stuck fat, waited out the toughest bit, got some support, and now he’s 101 off 195. Simpson doing a job too on 29. Derbyshire have let a big chance slip. It’s 217 for 5.

4.45pm BST

If ever you think that I’ve typed in the wrong team name somewhere, here is a hot tip: refresh your page. See if those sins are cleansed. That will be the final arbiter of whether or not I’m an idiot.

4.44pm BST

Nottinghamshire 194 for 5 as Lyndon James gets out for 30. Still got Steven Mullaney ticking over on 34. Marchant de Lange looked wonderful with the ball in the Hundred, fast and fierce, but hasn’t got a wicket for Somerset here. Abell has two.

4.41pm BST

The People’s Horse is no more. Gary Ballance falls to the irresistible spin of Liam Dawson, who I keep thinking is Richard Dawson from the Sydney Test of 2003, but they are in fact two quite different people. Ballance out for 42. Yorkshire 138 runs scored, 5 wickets lost, and 0 reports released.

4.39pm BST

Back from tea, back in the runs. Sister Act II: Back in the Habit. Chris Benjamin, another man with two first names, gets three figures as well. Only playing his third game of FC cricket, his first for Warks, had 46 runs all up before today, and he’s peeled off a ton against Lancashire in Division 1.

4.31pm BST

A tenth-wicket partnership of 68 comes to an end, but has changed the match against Leicestershire. Jack Leaning is trying to pinch the strike late in a Parkinson over. Turns the ball to short fine leg and calls Logan through for the run, when it isn’t really there. The throw beats Logan home. He’s made a very resolute 21, for someone who obviously doesn’t have great batting prowess, and Leaning is left unbeaten on 75, furiously swishing his bat as he wonders why he called ‘Yes’ for that run. They batted through almost all of the extra half hour taken instead of tea, but fall in the last minutes.

Still, 86 for 8 has become 232 for 10, so it’s been a minor miracle for Kent. Personally, I’m putting that down to the magic of having Darren Stevens in the dressing room. Just vibes, you know?

4.08pm BST

PLACES WHERE IT IS NOT TEA

Leicestershire, where they can’t bowl out Kent and they umpires have extended play and it is very funny. James Logan has 16, Leaning 67, and they’ve added 55. It’s 219 for 9.

4.06pm BST

To work out why it is tea in some places and not in others, you have to use the Tea Adjustment Index worldwide. I am on AEST, which is Australian Eastern Standard Tea. It is 1am here. Tea is ice cream straight out of the tub.

Essex 44 for 2 after bowling out Glams for 134.

3.53pm BST

Hmm, there’s a second Essex wicket on that demonic Cardiff track. Tom Westley goes for 8, felled by the Dutch menace TvDG. In the meantime though, Nick Browne has punted 29 at the other end, so it’s 41 for 2. Dan Lawrence is the new feller trying to burnish some fairly unburnished Test credentials.

3.49pm BST

Chris Benjamin and Sam Hain on matching 86s as Warwickshire advance, 183 for 2.

3.45pm BST

He’s playing really nicely now that he’s in a last-wicket partnership and has to be more active. He picks off Ben Mike, the man with two first names, for a boundary first ball, a series of twos, then farms strike off the last ball. He’s 50 from 121, Kent up to 196 for 9.

3.40pm BST

Parky II has two catches dropped in two balls. The Kent No11, James Logan, edges one through the slips and goes to his highest FC score of 9. Then he turns one to leg slip that goes down. Third ball in the sequence, big appeal for caught behind and the umpire says no. Leicestershire can’t finish off Kent yet, 187 for 9.

3.30pm BST

The Warwickshire advance continues, Benjamin on 76 and Hain on 86. They’re 172 for 2 against Lancs. This is massive in the context of Division 1, with Warks already starting on top because of carry-over points (?) I’ll level with you, I’ve never understood how county cricket points work because they seem impenetrable. But if someone wants to lay it out BTL and save me half an hour in a Wikipedia tunnel, that would be grand.

3.27pm BST

Andersson is finally out, for 52. John Simpson is the next comrade for Robbie White, on 73. Middlesex 156 for 5 against Derbyshire.

3.18pm BST

“Can I offer a contrary view to fellow Essex fan Neil Way,” writes Brian Withington. “I would be thrilled for the scrappy Chelmsford Chihuahuas to top a division that includes Glorious Cup Winning Glamorgan, The Mighty Northants and Never Say Die Durham (other counties also feature). You meet a very fine class of team and supporter in Division 2. With that thought I’m off to Worcester City to hopefully watch youngest son get some much needed pitch time.”

Wishing him luck, Brian.

3.17pm BST

Martin Andersson, you star. He’s come out to support Robbie White with Middlesex knee-deep in ordure, and he’s hauled them out. They’re 154 for 4 at Lord’s and feeling chipper. White has 72, Andersson an even 50.

3.15pm BST

Matthew Milnes, the No9 for Kent, stopped the rot for a little while with his 22 from 36 balls. And Jack Leaning gets a little bit of a move on, up to 30 not out from 100. But when Milnes is out the score is still only 159 for 8.

Stop the rot? You can’t stop the rot.

3.09pm BST

The People’s Horse has lost Tom Kohler-Cadmore. Harry Brook is his partner instead. TKC another victim of Kyle Abbott, who has 3 for 31 from 15 as the only wicket-taker today. Yorkshire 96 for 3 at the Bowl to End All Bowls.

3.07pm BST

Archie Lenham gloves a bouncer down the leg side, and after some resistance for an hour or so he’s out for 20. Faced 40 balls on first-class debut. Sussex 138 for 7. Ed Barnard gets the wicket, inducing a reflex pull shot.

3.04pm BST

Sorry Lancashire, but this Warks pair is on the charge. Benjamin up to 68, Hain passes him to reach 70. They’re 148 for 2.

3.03pm BST

Nottinghamshire’s score is now 140 for 4, after Joe Clarke gets out for 59. A relief for Somerset. Tom Abell with the wicket.

3.01pm BST

Early wicket for Glamorgan! Alastair Cook goes from his third ball, in the second over. Lukas Carey gets him caught behind. Essex 8 for 1. The wickets fall like rain in Cardiff.

2.50pm BST

I’m just enjoying watching Archie Lenham bat. David Hopps is asking questions though. Sussex 135 for 6.

Average age under 19.6 according to those who have worked it out. Is that enlightened opportunity for talented youth, just the way events have turned out, deliberate cost-cutting or really disturbing for England's professional four-day competition? https://t.co/14Dq17EOtq

2.44pm BST

Kent might be next to go, they’re 135 for 7. Our friend Parky II has 4 for 39.

2.43pm BST

They win the prize for the first completed innings. Perhaps we should give the prize to Essex, who made it happen. And 134 is a fair bit more than Glammy might have expeted. Douthwaite got out for 39, a decent knock in the circumstances, but it was his No10 Lukas Carey who put the foot down. Two sixes, four fours, and one single, so he finished up with 29 from 24 balls.

Then Snater came back on and had them both caught in the space of five balls. He ends with 6 for 39, Harmer 3 for 36, and Sam Cook 1 for 11.

2.35pm BST

That Middlesex partnership is up to 73.

2.35pm BST

Somehow Archie Lenham is making runs for Sussex. He’s come in down the order, clubbed a couple of fours, and he’s 13 off 11. Why not?

2.34pm BST

Another one down for Kent, they’re 124 for 7. Jack Leaning is still there, but Jacko, batting at No4 and making 13 off 69 is good when you’re bunkering down with a batting mate against a tough spell, but not so good when your lower order is getting picked off at the other end.

2.32pm BST

He’s on to 57 as Warwickshire press on against Lancs. Hain on 43 approaching fast. Well, not really, strike rate of 40. Approaching like an elderly slow lloris with a sore foot. But, 110 for 2, it’s good.

2.31pm BST

Yorkshire tracking steady though. The People’s Horse, Gary Ballance, on 13, with TCK on 18 at the Rose Bowl. All up, 78 for 2.

2.30pm BST

Northants 117 for 4, chucking away their good start, Matthew Taylor getting into the mix with two wickets. Emilio Gay out for 44, Rob Keogh 18.

2.29pm BST

Jaysus, you blink and you miss it. Harmer is finishing the job on Glamorgan that Snater started. Salter and Timmy van der Gugten are goners. The Cardiff lot are 117 for 8. Dan Douthwaite on 34 is doing the work of 10 men. Literally - his teammates.

2.22pm BST

He’s done a job this morning. It was 10 for 2 when he walked out, and 52 for 4 later. He’s helped add 60 since then, and now has 52 from 107 balls for himself.

Middlesex 112 for 4 now.

2.20pm BST

“Morning Geoff,” wrote Neil Way when it was still the morning. “I am at a not-very-warm Lord’s (midday and the floodlights on) for a game in which I have no vested interest, just thought it would be a nice way to spend the bank holiday. As an Essex fan I would say that being in the second division is a bit deflating - can’t say that there would be all that much of a sense of achievement winning it (or much concern at coming sixth) - I wonder if there’s even a trophy? But i guess it’s not all that different to a mid-table season petering out. A nice member of staff just came to tell me that the bar opens at twelve: they’re a bit friendlier than I remember in my youth. Thanks for the blog, as ever.”

Thanks for the update. What you say about a normal mid-table finish makes sense. I call that an Everton.

2.17pm BST

The other steady, stable, reliable team is... Middlesex. White and Andersson have a fifty partnership now, and they’re 103 for 4. Looks like Sam Connors and Luis Reece are back on for Derbyshire after doing the early damage.

2.15pm BST

I’m told I may have had Dom Sibley batting for Lancashire earlier rather than Warwickshire. Which, if he did, is very sneaky of him. Warwickshire is the batting side, for the avoidance of all doubt. They’re about the only team keeping things kind of chill, with 96 for 2 as Benjamin and Hain approach fifties.

2.11pm BST

Northants 113 for 3 against The Freaks, aka Gloucestershire. Of whom Andrew Benton writes to me wistfully about the format.

“Yes, my team Gloucs missed out on Div 1 on the last day of the first half of the season, so I’d expect them to finish top of Div 2. It should be a bit like the rugby sevens with cup, bowl and plate awards for the different levels. And they need to keep improving, ready for next year.”

2.09pm BST

The below means that Kent is 109 for 6, and in some strife. Parky II has 4 for 28. As they say BTL, GET PARKY ON. It doesn’t matter which one.

2.09pm BST

Oh no. Oh no. Not only does Not That Ollie get out for bugger-all, Darren Stevens has gone for a second-baller. The living monument, the cricketing tardigrade. Today we do not get the Stevo fix that we were craving. Devo, Stevo.

2.06pm BST

A blow for Notts, Sam Northeast out for 34. He put on 53 with Clarke. Now they’re 110 for 3. Brooks with two wickets, Davey one, for Somerset.

2.05pm BST

Sussex battling. Fynn Hudson-Prentice goes for nought. Joe Leach has 3 for 31, the score is 87 for 5.

1.58pm BST

Excitement. Kyle Abbott picks up another Yorkshire wicket, George Hill for 31, and that means that here he comes. The darling of the north. The pearl of Zimbabwe. Gary “I’m not a cricketer, I’m a drunken bastard” Ballance. It’s 67 for 2.

1.54pm BST

Jack Leaning of Kent being joined by Not That Ollie Robinson, after Billings fell just before lunch. They’re 106 for 4.

1.52pm BST

Romeo has sent me through the full detail ECB tables, if you want to get your head around which teams are where.

Click through here.

1.50pm BST

Email in from Matt Winter. “As a Gloucestershire fan I’m struggling to give a monkey’s about the fixtures now. If I was Bracey, say, no one is going to give any value to runs scored in dead fixtures. But if he has a bad trot people will say ‘ah’ and his career may be shot.”

Fair point. Like a run chase of 13, except it lasts for a month.

1.48pm BST

Oli Carter is out just after lunch for Sussex, they’re 71 for 4 now against Worcs.

1.47pm BST

We’re back after lunch. Crisp packets away. Brush the crumbs. Straighten that tie, Henderson. It’s cricket time.

1.12pm BST

Wrap wrap wrap. The lunch scores, starting with Division 1.

As mentioned, Nottinghamshire happy as clams against Somerset, 88 for 2. Warwickshire steady against Lancashire, 77 for 2. Yorkshire similar against Hampshire, 60 for 1.

1.06pm BST

Crawley, Denly, now Billings. I don’t know what it is, but Parkinson II likes knocking over fringe / former England players today. The Leicestershire left-armer bowls Sam Billings for 11, and Kent go to lunch 96 for 4.

1.04pm BST

Let’s try this again... Middlesex have steadied against Derbyshire. They’re 84 for 4. Martin Andersson is 18, helping Robbie White who has been excellent through the carnage with 38.

12.59pm BST

That’s one of the Div 1 matches. The others? Warwickshire similarly building after two early wickets against Lancs. Chris Benjamin on 33, Sam Hain on 36, they’re 77 for 2 at the ground that the Spanish call Trafford Viejo.

And Yorkshire have recovered from losing Lyth to reach a more dour 54 for 1, with George Hill on 25 at a Pujaresque strike rate and Tom Kohler-Cadmore with 13 (that on a pro rata basis is even slower).

12.55pm BST

What about Notts? They’re going along alright, thanks. Lost Slater early and Duckett after a quick start, but Sam Northeast (33) and Joe Clarke (20) have got them to 87 for 2. jack Brooks with the two wickets for Somerset.

12.53pm BST

Salter and Douthwaite are just trying to block out Simon Harmer. See if they can rebuild something for Glamorgan from 58 for 6.

12.46pm BST

Tom Price picks up Luke Procter for 2, caught and bowled, and Northants are quickly 73 for 2.

12.45pm BST

And Crawley is out too. Bowled by Callum Parkinson for that score of an even 50. Then two overs later, Parky II picks up Honest Joe as well! Caught by Ackermann. Kent suddenly 80 for 3 up against the Foxes. (Pretty pleased with myself for remembering the nicknames of teams at this stage. Spent too many hours of my life once trying to work out WTF a seaxe is.)

12.41pm BST

A wicket at Bristol, at last. Vasconcelos goes for 37, caught from the bowling of Tom Price, and the last wicketless innings in this round comes to an end. Northants 72 for 1.

12.39pm BST

Carlson looked good while he lasted. You can see why we like him.

Carlson off the mark with this back foot cut for 4⃣

https://t.co/mOI9naIVBJ #GLAMvESS l #GoGlam pic.twitter.com/LXPYokLD0E

12.38pm BST

Good grief, Shane Snater is on a tear. He’s added two more in no time at all. The Final Word’s Kiran Carlson and the skipper Chris Cooke go. Snater has 4 for 14, and the Glamorgan score is 55 for 5.

Make that 57 for 6, in the time it took to type this post. Because Simon Harmer has just come on, the Essex destroyer, and picked up Hamish Rutherford, who had made more than half the runs with 31 at the top of the order.

12.33pm BST

It may not have gone well for Sibley, but here’s one England player on hiatus who has something to report back to Chris Silverwood. Crawley for Kent has sped to 50 from 69 balls, nice, and he’s the new King of the Runs for today, ahead of Vasconcelos on 37 and Robbie White holding Middlesex together on 33.

12.24pm BST

Fifty partnership up for Northants. Vasconcelos on 30, Gay on 23, they’re 60 for none.

12.16pm BST

A wicket at New Road, Harrison Ward gone cheaply for Sussex. They’re 46-2 and James Coles is next in, being bounced immediately by Adam Finch.

12.08pm BST

Scrap that, Max Holden is out. Sorry, doctor. Make it 52 for 4.

12.04pm BST

Middlesex have put away the defibrillator. Robbie White (25) and Max Holden (13) have steadied it to 52 for 3.

12.00pm BST

And now Billy Root goes for a third-ball duck. Fair enough when your bloody brother keeps showing off every weekend and nobody thinks about you. It’s not fair. Both wickets fall to Shane Snater, who honestly sounds like he should be Australian.

On the plus side, Glamorgan lovers, Hamish Rutherford is now King of the Runs. He has stormed past Honest Joe with 29 on the board so far. There’s an upside to 39 for 3.

11.57am BST

What did I say about Steven Reingold and Bobby Quiney? The Glamorgan man is out on debut for 9. I’m sure it was a glorious 9. A 9 that will ring through the ages.

11.54am BST

Sussex skipper Tom Haines goes for 20, and Notts opener Ben Duckett tips a pint on his innings for 24. That leaves Northants as the only unblemished county: Vasconcelos and Gay have added 41.

11.52am BST

First Yorkshire wicket goes down, Adam Lyth is out. Another former Test opener gone. It sounds like Kyle Abbott could have had about six by now for Hampshire at the Rose Bowl. Doing well to be 18 for 1.

11.50am BST

How’s everyone else going with the Champo / Bob Willis format this season? I thought I understood it a couple of months ago, but then it was like a miracle, I woke up this morning and all understanding of it had been wiped clean. Back in the saddle now, hopefully. But looking at divisions full of teams with different amounts of points while all sitting on zero games... it’s a hard world we live in.

If your team isn’t in Div 1, for instance, would you care much where they finished in Div 2 or 3? Interested in how people perceive it.

11.38am BST

I like watching eight matches that all started at once because I can pretend the players are racing each other. Who is the fastest scorer in the land? Honest Joe Denly, who has pinged off 23 of the best against Leics.

11.36am BST

“Congratulations to Steven Reingold on his CC debut. Best of luck to him,” wrote Romeo Tango below the line. (Yes, I’m converting handles into full names, why not.)

Well, Mr Reingold is out in the middle for Glamorgan already with the early wicket of Lloyd, and is 9 not out. He’s matched Rob Quiney’s Test debut.

11.31am BST

Who’s out? (By the Baja Men.)

David Lloyd for Glammy.

11.28am BST

We regret* to announce that Dom Sibley’s return to county cricket has been brief, in the first instance. He was sent back to find form but instead he’s found that he can’t hit the ball when it’s going on to his pad. Tom Bailey of Lancs has knocked off Sibley after having Yates caught. And there is a bit of a W. B. ponderousness to Sibley’s trudge off.

“I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree...”

11.25am BST

It’s faster at this stage to list who hasn’t lost a wicket: Sussex, Yorkshire, and Northants, who are off to a brisk start of 23 in six overs thanks to surely the most Romance-language opening partnership in English cricket history: Ricardo Vasconcelos and Emilio Gay.

11.21am BST

Well, everybody wanted to play First Wicket Sweepstake. The winner was: Kent! Who lost Jordan Cox after five deliveries. Middlesex, though, are trying to claim a technical victory by losing two inside three overs. Stoneman and Robson both gone. Two former Test openers, hey? Is this Stoneman’s first outing since he moved, I ask to people who know these things?

11.13am BST

Now. I know there are some long-term enthusiasts of this blog who get busy below the line, so thanks for allowing me into your domain. I will do my best to accommodate any of your petty regional grievances with other counties, and to remember who Darren Stevens signed for before he signed for someone else back in 1997 and whatnot, but please remember that I’m Australian, and be gentle with me.

11.04am BST

Not Surrey up at Durham, for one. Match cancelled after most of the Surrey lads got bombed out by covid tracing. No long sunny afternoon at the Riverside.

The other eight matches will begin as planned. Let’s do it this way: who has chosen to bat first?

10.59am BST

Alright, geezers. Time a bit of the old you know what. Around the grounds, through the towns, turn the garden gnomes upside down. Know what I mean? You jart me? Tich Freeman. Tich Richmond. Wet pitches and wet bitumen. Sandwiches with all the fixings. Walls full of old history. Wilf Rhodes. Percy Jeeves. A bit of Jim Sims and the ol’ wozzler. The county cricket blog, with all the cricket that’s still fit to consume.

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Published on August 30, 2021 10:53

Tokyo Paralympic Games day six: drama in the T64 100m – as it happened

Felix Streng took sprint final gold but Jonnie Peacock shared bronze after a drum-tight finish on another dramatic day in Tokyo

Archery: The second set goes 28-27 to Stretton. Paterson Pine shoots all nines.

Archery: Pretty rough for the two British archers to be drawn against each other in the 1/8 elimination final. Given it’s a competition with the focus on nations rather than individuals, that does seem like something that could be avoided. But do I know the complexities of archery seeding and draws? No.

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Published on August 30, 2021 07:16

County cricket day one: Somerset v Notts, Lancs v Warks and more – live!

Live updates as the County Championship resumesRoot’s special summer shown by names he surpassedGet in touch! Email Geoff, tweet or comment below

2.17pm BST

The other steady, stable, reliable team is... Middlesex. White and Andersson have a fifty partnership now, and they’re 103 for 4. Looks like Sam Connors and Luis Reece are back on for Derbyshire after doing the early damage.

2.15pm BST

I’m told I may have had Dom Sibley batting for Lancashire earlier rather than Warwickshire. Which, if he did, is very sneaky of him. Warwickshire is the batting side, for the avoidance of all doubt. They’re about the only team keeping things kind of chill, with 96 for 2 as Benjamin and Hain approach fifties.

2.11pm BST

Northants 113 for 3 against The Freaks, aka Gloucestershire. Of whom Andrew Benton writes to me wistfully about the format.

“Yes, my team Gloucs missed out on Div 1 on the last day of the first half of the season, so I’d expect them to finish top of Div 2. It should be a bit like the rugby sevens with cup, bowl and plate awards for the different levels. And they need to keep improving, ready for next year.”

2.09pm BST

The below means that Kent is 109 for 6, and in some strife. Parky II has 4 for 28. As they say BTL, GET PARKY ON. It doesn’t matter which one.

2.09pm BST

Oh no. Oh no. Not only does Not That Ollie get out for bugger-all, Darren Stevens has gone for a second-baller. The living monument, the cricketing tardigrade. Today we do not get the Stevo fix that we were craving. Devo, Stevo.

2.06pm BST

A blow for Notts, Sam Northeast out for 34. He put on 53 with Clarke. Now they’re 110 for 3. Brooks with two wickets, Davey one, for Somerset.

2.05pm BST

Sussex battling. Fynn Hudson-Prentice goes for nought. Joe Leach has 3 for 31, the score is 87 for 5.

1.58pm BST

Excitement. Kyle Abbott picks up another Yorkshire wicket, George Hill for 31, and that means that here he comes. The darling of the north. The pearl of Zimbabwe. Gary “I’m not a cricketer, I’m a drunken bastard” Ballance. It’s 67 for 2.

1.54pm BST

Jack Leaning of Kent being joined by Not That Ollie Robinson, after Billings fell just before lunch. They’re 106 for 4.

1.52pm BST

Romeo has sent me through the full detail ECB tables, if you want to get your head around which teams are where.

Click through here.

1.50pm BST

Email in from Matt Winter. “As a Gloucestershire fan I’m struggling to give a monkey’s about the fixtures now. If I was Bracey, say, no one is going to give any value to runs scored in dead fixtures. But if he has a bad trot people will say ‘ah’ and his career may be shot.”

Fair point. Like a run chase of 13, except it lasts for a month.

1.48pm BST

Oli Carter is out just after lunch for Sussex, they’re 71 for 4 now against Worcs.

1.47pm BST

We’re back after lunch. Crisp packets away. Brush the crumbs. Straighten that tie, Henderson. It’s cricket time.

1.12pm BST

Wrap wrap wrap. The lunch scores, starting with Division 1.

As mentioned, Nottinghamshire happy as clams against Somerset, 88 for 2. Warwickshire steady against Lancashire, 77 for 2. Yorkshire similar against Hampshire, 60 for 1.

1.06pm BST

Crawley, Denly, now Billings. I don’t know what it is, but Parkinson II likes knocking over fringe / former England players today. The Leicestershire left-armer bowls Sam Billings for 11, and Kent go to lunch 96 for 4.

1.04pm BST

Let’s try this again... Middlesex have steadied against Derbyshire. They’re 84 for 4. Martin Andersson is 18, helping Robbie White who has been excellent through the carnage with 38.

12.59pm BST

That’s one of the Div 1 matches. The others? Warwickshire similarly building after two early wickets against Lancs. Chris Benjamin on 33, Sam Hain on 36, they’re 77 for 2 at the ground that the Spanish call Trafford Viejo.

And Yorkshire have recovered from losing Lyth to reach a more dour 54 for 1, with George Hill on 25 at a Pujaresque strike rate and Tom Kohler-Cadmore with 13 (that on a pro rata basis is even slower).

12.55pm BST

What about Notts? They’re going along alright, thanks. Lost Slater early and Duckett after a quick start, but Sam Northeast (33) and Joe Clarke (20) have got them to 87 for 2. jack Brooks with the two wickets for Somerset.

12.53pm BST

Salter and Douthwaite are just trying to block out Simon Harmer. See if they can rebuild something for Glamorgan from 58 for 6.

12.46pm BST

Tom Price picks up Luke Procter for 2, caught and bowled, and Northants are quickly 73 for 2.

12.45pm BST

And Crawley is out too. Bowled by Callum Parkinson for that score of an even 50. Then two overs later, Parky II picks up Honest Joe as well! Caught by Ackermann. Kent suddenly 80 for 3 up against the Foxes. (Pretty pleased with myself for remembering the nicknames of teams at this stage. Spent too many hours of my life once trying to work out WTF a seaxe is.)

12.41pm BST

A wicket at Bristol, at last. Vasconcelos goes for 37, caught from the bowling of Tom Price, and the last wicketless innings in this round comes to an end. Northants 72 for 1.

12.39pm BST

Carlson looked good while he lasted. You can see why we like him.

Carlson off the mark with this back foot cut for 4⃣

https://t.co/mOI9naIVBJ #GLAMvESS l #GoGlam pic.twitter.com/LXPYokLD0E

12.38pm BST

Good grief, Shane Snater is on a tear. He’s added two more in no time at all. The Final Word’s Kiran Carlson and the skipper Chris Cooke go. Snater has 4 for 14, and the Glamorgan score is 55 for 5.

Make that 57 for 6, in the time it took to type this post. Because Simon Harmer has just come on, the Essex destroyer, and picked up Hamish Rutherford, who had made more than half the runs with 31 at the top of the order.

12.33pm BST

It may not have gone well for Sibley, but here’s one England player on hiatus who has something to report back to Chris Silverwood. Crawley for Kent has sped to 50 from 69 balls, nice, and he’s the new King of the Runs for today, ahead of Vasconcelos on 37 and Robbie White holding Middlesex together on 33.

12.24pm BST

Fifty partnership up for Northants. Vasconcelos on 30, Gay on 23, they’re 60 for none.

12.16pm BST

A wicket at New Road, Harrison Ward gone cheaply for Sussex. They’re 46-2 and James Coles is next in, being bounced immediately by Adam Finch.

12.08pm BST

Scrap that, Max Holden is out. Sorry, doctor. Make it 52 for 4.

12.04pm BST

Middlesex have put away the defibrillator. Robbie White (25) and Max Holden (13) have steadied it to 52 for 3.

12.00pm BST

And now Billy Root goes for a third-ball duck. Fair enough when your bloody brother keeps showing off every weekend and nobody thinks about you. It’s not fair. Both wickets fall to Shane Snater, who honestly sounds like he should be Australian.

On the plus side, Glamorgan lovers, Hamish Rutherford is now King of the Runs. He has stormed past Honest Joe with 29 on the board so far. There’s an upside to 39 for 3.

11.57am BST

What did I say about Steven Reingold and Bobby Quiney? The Glamorgan man is out on debut for 9. I’m sure it was a glorious 9. A 9 that will ring through the ages.

11.54am BST

Sussex skipper Tom Haines goes for 20, and Notts opener Ben Duckett tips a pint on his innings for 24. That leaves Northants as the only unblemished county: Vasconcelos and Gay have added 41.

11.52am BST

First Yorkshire wicket goes down, Adam Lyth is out. Another former Test opener gone. It sounds like Kyle Abbott could have had about six by now for Hampshire at the Rose Bowl. Doing well to be 18 for 1.

11.50am BST

How’s everyone else going with the Champo / Bob Willis format this season? I thought I understood it a couple of months ago, but then it was like a miracle, I woke up this morning and all understanding of it had been wiped clean. Back in the saddle now, hopefully. But looking at divisions full of teams with different amounts of points while all sitting on zero games... it’s a hard world we live in.

If your team isn’t in Div 1, for instance, would you care much where they finished in Div 2 or 3? Interested in how people perceive it.

11.38am BST

I like watching eight matches that all started at once because I can pretend the players are racing each other. Who is the fastest scorer in the land? Honest Joe Denly, who has pinged off 23 of the best against Leics.

11.36am BST

“Congratulations to Steven Reingold on his CC debut. Best of luck to him,” wrote Romeo Tango below the line. (Yes, I’m converting handles into full names, why not.)

Well, Mr Reingold is out in the middle for Glamorgan already with the early wicket of Lloyd, and is 9 not out. He’s matched Rob Quiney’s Test debut.

11.31am BST

Who’s out? (By the Baja Men.)

David Lloyd for Glammy.

11.28am BST

We regret* to announce that Dom Sibley’s return to county cricket has been brief, in the first instance. He was sent back to find form but instead he’s found that he can’t hit the ball when it’s going on to his pad. Tom Bailey of Lancs has knocked off Sibley after having Yates caught. And there is a bit of a W. B. ponderousness to Sibley’s trudge off.

“I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree...”

11.25am BST

It’s faster at this stage to list who hasn’t lost a wicket: Sussex, Yorkshire, and Northants, who are off to a brisk start of 23 in six overs thanks to surely the most Romance-language opening partnership in English cricket history: Ricardo Vasconcelos and Emilio Gay.

11.21am BST

Well, everybody wanted to play First Wicket Sweepstake. The winner was: Kent! Who lost Jordan Cox after five deliveries. Middlesex, though, are trying to claim a technical victory by losing two inside three overs. Stoneman and Robson both gone. Two former Test openers, hey? Is this Stoneman’s first outing since he moved, I ask to people who know these things?

11.13am BST

Now. I know there are some long-term enthusiasts of this blog who get busy below the line, so thanks for allowing me into your domain. I will do my best to accommodate any of your petty regional grievances with other counties, and to remember who Darren Stevens signed for before he signed for someone else back in 1997 and whatnot, but please remember that I’m Australian, and be gentle with me.

11.04am BST

Not Surrey up at Durham, for one. Match cancelled after most of the Surrey lads got bombed out by covid tracing. No long sunny afternoon at the Riverside.

The other eight matches will begin as planned. Let’s do it this way: who has chosen to bat first?

10.59am BST

Alright, geezers. Time a bit of the old you know what. Around the grounds, through the towns, turn the garden gnomes upside down. Know what I mean? You jart me? Tich Freeman. Tich Richmond. Wet pitches and wet bitumen. Sandwiches with all the fixings. Walls full of old history. Wilf Rhodes. Percy Jeeves. A bit of Jim Sims and the ol’ wozzler. The county cricket blog, with all the cricket that’s still fit to consume.

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Published on August 30, 2021 06:17

No avoiding Ashes talk in Joe Root’s relaxed pursuit of Test run record | Geoff Lemon

England’s captain has strummed past some famous names but scoring the most runs in a year will mean shining in Australia

After Joe Root wandered back in at Lord’s two Saturdays ago on 180 not out, the Wisden Cricket Monthly editor, Phil Walker, described him as “strumming” his second century of the series. When Root went to three in a row at Headingley the next Friday, he was absolutely strumming them. England’s captain has never looked as relaxed; all smiles and easy drives, no need to launch at the bowling, just serenely nodding it away, closing his eyes here and there for an especially enjoyable chord. This was batting to a rhythm section led by Charlie Watts.

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Published on August 30, 2021 00:00

Tokyo Paralympics day five: GB gold in wheelchair rugby – as it happened

Great Britain claimed wheelchair rugby gold for the first time and team dressage gold for the seventh in a row on another hectic day in Tokyo

Results | Medal table | Full coverage | Daily briefing Golds for Cockroft and Steadman | Day five gallery

2.56pm BST

2.34pm BST

Right then, with only one medal still undecided today (China currently lead Italy 23-21 in the wheelchair fencing women’s team foil gold medal match) I’m going to sling my proverbial hook. We’ll be back for more a little later, ahead of day six. Here are some of tomorrow’s highlights:

Swimming: Ellie Robinson and Grace Harvey are in the women’s S6 50m butterfly final, with Robinson probably Britain’s best chance of gold. Other Brits in the pool include Stephanie Millward in the women’s S9 100m backstroke, today’s silver-medallist Ellie Challis in the women’s S3 100m freestyle, and Lyndon Longhorne in the men’s S4 200m freestyle. All of the finals in the pool come in three hours, starting at 5pm local/9am BST.

2.02pm BST

Fencing: The women’s team foil gold medal match is now able to get under way, with Italy attempting to stop China claiming a team gold double.

1.55pm BST

Fencing: the men’s team foil final has finished, and after balancing on a knife-edge until the final minutes Li Hao smashed Oliver Lam-Watson 6-0 and then Sun Gang beat Piers Gulliver 5-3 and it ended 45-38 in China’s favour. Great Britain pocket another silver, and France beat the nation that shall not be named earlier to take bronze.

1.45pm BST

Athletics: Peacock is safely through in second place, but Germany’s Felix Streng, who is coached by Peacock’s former coach Steve Fudge, looks very comfortable in winning the heat. They qualify along with Mpumelelo Mhlongo of South Africa for tomorrow’s final.

1.42pm BST

Athletics: Jonnie Peacock is on the track and about to go in his T64 100m heat...

1.31pm BST

Fencing: The men’s team foil gold medal match continues, between China and Great Britain. So far the British have basically been beating everyone put in front of them ... except Sun Gang, who is single-handedly responsible for China’s current 27-26 lead. He ends the event against Piers Gilliver, but there’s a way to go before that.

1.26pm BST

Here’s some further reading about today’s Paralympic action:

In the early athletics session Team GB’s Hannah Cockroft won her sixth gold medal in the T34 100m, while Lauren Steadman won gold in the PTS5 triathlon gold.

1.06pm BST

Wheelchair rugby: If this felt like a big, impactful moment then it was surely appropriate. Wheelchair rugby, the sport of smashing and grabbing and sprinting and crashing, is an iconic Paralympic event. It’s a sport of danger and cunning and of absolute granite determination. For the first time, Great Britain are its champions.

Led by Stuart Robinson, the former RAF gunner who lost both his legs to an IED in Afghanistan, and Jim Roberts, who turned to wheelchair rugby during the three years he spent in hospital recovering from bacterial meningitis, Great Britain beat the United States – the most successful nation in the history of the sport – by 54 tries to 49 and led from start to finish.

Much more here:

12.57pm BST

Fencing: The men’s foil team gold medal match is under way, between Great Britain and China. Very early days in this one, but China are 3-1 up as I type.

12.38pm BST

The best pictures from day five in Tokyo, all in one place:

12.36pm BST

Equestrian: It’s gold for Great Britain’s Lee Pearson, Natasha Baker and Sophie Wells in the Grade IV dressage team test to music. Denmark’s dream run didn’t happen - they ended up fourth - while it’s silver for the Netherlands and bronze for the USA.

12.32pm BST

Athletics: Another remarkable final, this time in the Men’s T54 400m. Athiwat Paeng-Nuea seems destined to take gold for Thailand, but in the final 50m Daniel Romanchuk of the USA makes up an entire wheelchair length to win it by a single hundredth of a second, or about a tyre’s width in a photo finish.

12.20pm BST

Equestrian: The Grade IV dressage is reaching it’s climax, and with the final horses now dancing Great Britain sits in gold medal position, with Denmark needing absolute horse dancing perfection if they are to snatch top spot.

12.17pm BST

Archery: Finals don’t come any closer than the mixed team compound event which just ended, with China needing a perfect 10 with their final arrow to steal victory from Turkey ... and nailing it! A remarkable final thus ended 153-152. The nation that shall not be named had earlier beaten Iran 153-151 in the bronze medal match to take third place.

11.58am BST

Athletics: Jason Smyth wins T13 100m gold again! The Beijing, London and Rio champion has done it again, by the tightest of margins: Algeria’s Skander Djamil Athmani was surging through, and would surely have won gold had the race been over 101m, but Smyth holds him off by a 0.01sec margin. Colombia’s Jean Mina Aponza comes third, while the British finalist, Zak Skinner, trails the field, coming in eighth.

11.53am BST

Swimming: The final race of the night is the women’s 4x100m 34pts freestyle, and it ends in surprise, chaos and bemusement as the USA (who appeared to have won the race) and Great Britain (who were out of the medal places anyway) are both disqualified for reasons as-yet unknown and Italy thus vault to first, Australia to second and a delighted Canada to third.

11.50am BST

Athletics: China’s Zhou Xia streaks to gold in the women’s T35 200m, overtaking Australia’s Isis Holt in the home straight to win by about five metres. Britain’s Maria Lyle finished a couple of seconds further back, but it was good enough for a bronze medal.

11.40am BST

Wheelchair rugby: Absolute scenes.

11.37am BST

Wheelchair rugby: Absolute pandemonium here in the Yoyogi National Stadium as Great Britain beat the USA 54-49 to win their first ever gold medal in wheelchair rugby and, we think, their first ever gold in a team sport full stop. Wheelchair rugby is such a symbolic parasport, it’s murderball after all, that this is like winning the Euros or something. And what a performance in the final quarter to seal it! GB veteran Stuart Robinson went from fall guy to firestarter as he brushed off being turned over at the start of the second half to absolutely dominate the final quarter. He and Jim Roberts were like Batman and Robin out there, or Martin Johnson and Jonny Wikinson, or Kane and Son whatever you like. It was glorious.

11.35am BST

Wheelchair rugby: Jim Roberts has a chat after Britain’s rugby success. He’s asked whether he still intends this to be his last Paralympics. “For the moment, yeah,” he answers, awkwardly. Also:

What an amazing shift that was. That was one to remember. I play to win every game I go into, so that’s what I wanted to come for. We knew there woul dbe some amazing teams here. USA are a class act, and it was just amazing to meet them in the final. They always beat us in the major tournaments and it was nice to put a nail in that one.

11.30am BST

Gold for Great Britain in wheelchair rugby! They pull away in the final quarter to beat the USA 54-49, with Japan having sealed bronze by beating Australia earlier today.

11.27am BST

Swimming: Just one race to go in the pool now. The women’s S11 50m freestyle has just ended with Ma Jia winning gold for China, Li Guizhi taking silver and the Cypriot Karolina Pelendritou finishing third. All three broke the previous world record, which had been held by Pelendritou - Ma took over half a second off it.

11.12am BST

Athletics: The evening session is under way, and Madison de Rozario has taken gold for Australia in the women’s T53 800m, her first Paralympic gold in her fourth games, completing a nine-year climb of the ladder after bronze in this event in Rio and fourth place in London. Zhou Hongzhuan won silver for China an Catherine Debrunner bronze for Switzerland. Britain’s Sam Kinghorn finished 0.04sec outside the medals in fourth.

11.06am BST

Wheelchair rugby: This final is on a knife-edge, with Team GB leading the USA 37-36 at the end of the third quarter. Paul MacInnes has sent another update:

This is some game. A hail mary try (sorry to mix sporting jargon there) gives the US a vital score in the last seconds of the first half to preserve the 1 point narrowing they achieved early on with a turn over on Stuart Robinson. US with the deep block and the over load, GB with the high press and the counter.

10.30am BST

Wheelchair rugby: The final is in progress, with Great Britain leading the USA 19-16 as I type, inside the second quarter. Paul MacInnes is there, and here’s his end-of-first-quarter mini report:

Strong first quarter from Great Britain with Jim Roberts to the fore. He has one steal and seven tries to his name and is both finding space in attack and closing it down in defence. I really think he looks like Kevin de Bruyne but no one agrees with me. Also some excellent timewasting by the Brits in that quarter. Is that ... shithousery?

10.25am BST

Swimming: Hannah Russell could only finish sixth in the women’s S13 50m freestyle final, won by Maria Gomes Santiago of Brazil, with Anna Krivshina of the nation that shall not be named in second, and Carlotta Gilli winning yet another medal for Italy, finishing as she did in third.

10.05am BST

Judo: It’s gold for Britain’s Chris Skelley in the men’s 100kg judo! Ben Goodrich of the USA can’t stop him in the gold final, and as I type he and his coach are embracing on the floor, wrapped in a union flag. And then come the tears!

9.57am BST

Swimming: Another silver for Britain in the pool, this time for Ellie Challis, who seems entirely delighted with the result. Ariola Trimi of Italy comfortably won gold by a margin of nearly four seconds, with Iulia Shishova of the nation that cannot be named came third.

9.44am BST

It’s quite frankly incredible to see and experience the system that’s been put in place to make Tokyo 2020 happen. It can sometimes be bizarre too.

Mammoth logistical operations for security or Covid testing that may have been in high demand during the Olympics are often eerily deserted now but the same rules are in place and there’s a distinct art to working out how to follow them.

9.36am BST

Swimming: Another world record in the women’s SB14 100m breaststroke, this time from Spain’s Michelle Alonso. Louise Fiddes trails in nearly four seconds behind her but it’s still enough to claim silver for Britain - she was fifth at the halfway mark, whereupon she ignited the afterburners - and Beatriz Carneiro comes third, two hundredths of a second ahead of her twin sister Débora, who comes fourth.

9.28am BST

Swimming: It’s gold and a world record for Naohide Yamaguchi of Japan in the men’s SB14 100m breaststroke final, with Australia’s Jake Michel second and Scott Quin snaffling bronze for Britain.

9.22am BST

Swimming: A quick guide to Britain’s medal hopes in the pool today, with BST times on this occasion (add eight for Tokyo times):

9.22am: The men’s 100m breaststroke SB14 final, featuring Conner Morrison and Scott Quin, is about to go.
9.28am: The women’s event features Louise Fiddes
9.35am: Simone Barlaam goes in the 50m freestyle S9 final
10.17am: The women’s S13 50m freestyle final includes Hannah Russell and Rebecca Redfern
11.34am: Women’s 4x100m freestyle relay 34pts final

8.49am BST

Judo: The first of the Judo medal matches have finished, deciding the men’s -90kg category, and in the gold final Iran’s Vahid Nouri has beaten Britain’s Elliot Stewart to maximum glory.

8.43am BST

Table tennis: Zhang Bian has beaten Pan Jiamin in a marathon see-saw women’s Class 5 table tennis final, coming back from two games down to win her fourth successive Paralympic gold.

8.31am BST

Table tennis: There was to be no table top celebration for Will Bayley this time. The larger than life table tennis star, who won a famous gold in the TT7 event in Rio, was outmuscled by Yan Shuo of China in this year’s final and had to take succour in silver instead.

The Englishman had the early momentum but a decisive moment in the second game saw Shuo grow in confidence and use his physical size to dominate the match. The Chinese athlete came back from one game down to win 3-1, the final game a superb test of contrasting styles that was ultimately decided by Shuo’s smash. But to describe Bayley as beaten, wouldn’t quite feel right.

Much more here:

8.17am BST

Hello world!

Medals incoming: There’s an absolute load of titles still to be decided today: table tennis, where the women’s Class 5 singles final is ongoing (China are guaranteed both gold and silver there) with the Class 3 final to follow (In which a Slovakian might beat China to gold), with men’s Class 11 (featuring Australia’s Samuel Von Einem) and Class 10 gold medal matches to follow. There have been delays in the fencing, but men’s and women’s team foil medal matches should start shortly, and there is a mixed wheelchair rugby gold medal match, between the USA and Great Britain, scheduled for 6pm local time.

8.01am BST

I’m going to hand you over to Simon Burnton now, who will take you below the action and much, much more. Ciao for now.

7.58am BST

There is still plenty of action to come on the busiest single day of these Games. Seventeen sports sports are in action and 62 gold medals on offer. Big night for the swimming with 13 golds up for grabs at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, more athletics finals at the Olympic Stadium and the sitting volleyball and table tennis medal matches. The wheelchair tennis has also got away on time after delays the past couple of days due to the heat.

7.48am BST

Wheelchair basketball: The United States are making a statement against Australia in the men’s preliminary round, leading 45-28 in the third quarter. GB lead Group B but Australia and the US – second and third place respectively – have this game in hand. At this rate, the Americans will leapfrog both.

7.38am BST

Wheelchair rugby: That’s all she wrote. Batt was vocal until the very end, never letting it rest, but the host nation were too strong, too consistent, and have taken the bronze. Wheelchair rugby is a popular sport in Japan and it seems fitting this team stood on the podium at a home Games. Disappointment is written all over the Steelers’ faces.

7.32am BST

Wheelchair rugby: There are 90 seconds to play and while the Steelers closed the gap by a couple of points the score still stands at 58-50 in favour of Japan.

7.30am BST

Table tennis: Bhavina Patel, who on today became the first Indian table tennis player to earn a place on the Paralympics podium to date, has a high-profile fan.

What a wonderful news for all of on #NationalSportsDay. Congratulations on the silver medal @BhavinaPatel6. This is a historic achievement!

Every medal we win will inspire millions into the sport, & sow the seeds for more medals in future. Good start for us at #Paralympics . pic.twitter.com/4f0pz0hKuc

7.16am BST

Wheelchair rugby: Japan lead 45-36 at the final break and it’s very difficult to see Australia recovering in the time they have left. The Steelers were never on the front foot against the host nation and barring some kind of outrageous late drama it looks as if the Steelers will leave a Paralympics without a medal for the first time since 2004 and just the third time since the sport was introduced in 1996.

7.08am BST

Wheelchair rugby: The Steelers are in a hole. A big one. Japan lead 41-33 with two minutes to play in the third quarter and Australia’s defensive errors are letting them down.

7.02am BST

In case you missed this story overnight, Afghanistan athletes Zakia Khudadadi and Hossain Rasouli will take part in the Tokyo Paralympics after being safely evacuated from Kabul. The pair looked set to miss the event following the Taliban’s return to power in their native country but arrived in the Japanese capital on Saturday via a week-long stay in Paris.

6.52am BST

Wheelchair basketball: Australia’s men have started their Group B match against the USA and lead 8-5 in the first quarter, while Germany are up 4-0 against Algeria.

6.43am BST

Wheelchair rugby: Japan have consolidated their lead 30-25 at half-time. Australia have work to do in these next two quarters.

6.34am BST

Here’s the dramatic finish to the women’s triathlon earlier:

What an extraordinary finish to the women's PTWC #Triathlon! #USA's Kendall Gretsch beats #AUS's Lauren Parker ON THE FINISH LINE!#Tokyo2020 #Paralympics @worldtriathlon pic.twitter.com/RL22NTIB87

6.26am BST

Wheelchair rugby: The pressure is on Australia, who trail 17-14 at the first break, particularly from Japan’s undisputed star Daisuke Ikezaki.

6.23am BST

Goalball: A round-up of results:

Japan 3-8 Brazil (men’s Group A)
Egypt 0-10 Japan (women’s Group D)
Belgium 2-4 Ukraine (men’s Group B)

6.12am BST

A defensive foul is called for an errant hand from Ryley Batt and he’s sin-binned. The Japanese will want to keep the Australian captain off the court as much as they can. Batt has four tries but Japan have just headed into a timeout ahead 8-7.

6.07am BST

Also a heads-up that the USA will play Great Britain for the gold medal at 6pm local time.

6.05am BST

Wheelchair rugby: Australia have just started their bronze medal match against Japan and it’s 2-2 two minutes in. The Steelers are having to work hard to keep possession though.

5.45am BST

A recap from earlier today for the ParalympicsGB fans, Great Britain picked up a full complement of triathlon medals, led by former Strictly Come Dancing star Lauren Steadman who upgraded the PT4 silver she won in Rio five years ago to PTS5 gold with a finish of 1:04:46 – 41 seconds clear of American Grace Norman.

GB teammate Claire Cashmore completed the podium in that race in a time of 1:07:36, while fellow Briton George Peasgood won men’s silver in 58:55.

5.35am BST

A second #ParaRowing gold of the day for #GBR !

Ellen Buttrick, Giedre Rakauskaite, James Fox and Oliver Stanhope, plus cox Erin Kennedy, prevail in the PR3 mixed coxed four - PR3Mix4+ final#Gold #GBR #Silver #USA #Bronze #FRA #Tokyo2020 #Paralympics @WorldRowing

5.17am BST

Boccia: A LOT of pool games happening at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre. Australia’s Spencer Cotie has beaten Brit Jamie McCowan 5-2 and McCowan’s brother Scott has seen off Stefania Ferrando 6-1.

This is a nice quick explainer on the sport to help your viewing pleasure:

5.00am BST

Athletics: Australian vision-impaired sprinter Chad Perris, who was born with albinism and is nicknamed the White Tiger, has finished second in his T13 100m heat in 10.90 to progress to tonight’s final.

4.49am BST

Australian rowing silver medallist Erik Horrie has just spoken to Seven. He did not secure the gold he has long coveted but did make it a third consecutive silver at a Paralympics in the men’s single sculls rowing final.

“It means the world to me,” he says. “That was one of the hardest races I think we’ve had to go through ... it means a little bit more for me today. It’s my son’s ninth birthday. He was born at my very first Paralympics in London, so this one is definitely for him.

4.35am BST

Athletics: Yet another world record, this time in the women’s T36 200m, and yet another Chinese gold, this time for Shi Yiting (28.21 seconds), who accounted for 20-year-old Kiwi Danielle Aitchison (29.88) by more than a second and a half. Argentine Yanina Andrea Martinez (30.96) was a further second adrift.

4.30am BST

Table tennis: Britain’s William Bayley couldn’t hang in their against Yan Shuo of China, going down in four games despite winning the first comfortably. Yan prevailed 3-1 (4-11, 11-9, 11-2, 11-8) to walk away with gold. Still it’s a 14th silver for Team GB at the Games to take their total medal tally to 49. They currently sit second on the table, well behind leaders China who have a ridiculous 82 medals including 33 gold.

4.22am BST

Hello, no sooner have I logged on than Russian shot putter Denis Gnezdilov has set a world record on his way to winning gold in the men’s F40 category. He thew 11.16m, which easily accounts for the previous record of 11.01m set in February by Portugal’s Miguel Monteiro. Iraq’s silver medallist Garrah Tnaiash was breathing down his neck with 11.15m while Monteiro claimed bronze with 10.76.

4.11am BST

Righto, knock off time for me. So much more to come. Emma Kemp is ready to take you through it.

4.09am BST

The standings remain as they were. Khattab gold, Ye silver, Abdelhady bronze. The winning lift of 231 is a Games record, though Khattab doesn’t attempt to push past his separate world record.

4.07am BST

The coxed four PR3 final this time. Ellen Buttrick, James Fox, Giedre Rakauskaite, and Oliver Stanhope, coxed by Erin Kennedy. A splendid Tokyo morning for Great Britain on the waterway.

USA silver, France bronze.

4.05am BST

Table tennis: I have to say, the Chinese team shirts with a massive purple dragon on a black background deserve all the gold medals, tennis results not withstanding. The score is 8-8 in the second set for Bayley and Yan.

3.58am BST

Table tennis: Bayley is up one set to nil in his gold medal match...

3.57am BST

Powerlifting: Khattab has gone to 231 in the final, just for kicks really. Ye tries to lift 231 as well, but can’t. Abdelhady tries 221 to take Ye’s silver spot, but also falters. One more lift apiece.

3.52am BST

Table tennis: William Bayley is up for a Great Britain gold medal in the men’s Class 7 final against Yan Shuo. Starting... now.

3.50am BST

Football: Another brutal game of blindfolded 5-a-side has begun, with Brazil playing China in the men’s draw.

3.48am BST

No, Barry, not that sort. Laurence Whitley and Lauren Rowles win another gruelling rowing race in 8:38.99. This sport looks extremely tough. Most of them do, but rowing especially. The GB pair establish a decent lead by the 1000m mark and hold it fast for the second half.

China is in second place for much of the race, but it sounds like they lost navigation and accidentally crossed over a lane towards the end. They still qualify for a finish in third place, but the Dutch yoink them for a silver medal.

3.40am BST

Powerlifting: In the men’s -88 kg final, it’s Jordan in the lead - the kingdom, not the model - via Abdelkareem Mohmmad Ahmad Khattab. The big guy holds the world record of 240 kilograms benched. He’s gone as far as 225 today, with another lift of 226 pencilled in just in case China’s Ye Jixiong succeeds with a proposed lift of 225. Hany Abdelhady has the bronze spot currently for Egypt with 214.

3.31am BST

Table tennis: Valentin Baus won gold in that earlier match for Germany, the men’s Class 5 final over Cao Ningning. China scores a gold in the next match though, with Zhou Ying taking the women’s Class 4 over Bhavinaben Hasmukhbhai Patel, who wins India’s first medal of these Games with silver.

3.28am BST

Archery: Great Britain archer Phoebe Patterson Pine wins through her 1/16 elimination match against the Russian Tatiana Andrievskaia, 138-142.

PPP lost the fifth set by three, which makes the overall look closer than it was, but she’d won the first and third sets, and tied the others.

3.26am BST

The men’s PR1 single sculls, not an event for the fainthearted, with ten minutes or so of intense solo time on the river, is done. Ukraine’s Roman Polyanskyi takes it out, the world record holder able to go much more easily here, and still gets in 12 seconds ahead of Australia’s Eric Horrie. The pair shake hands from boat to boat. Rene Campos Pereira takes bronze for Brazil.

3.22am BST

Discus: The standings remain as they were, but the throws change in the women’s F64. Sarah Edmiston steps up to throw yet another personal best today, an area record as well for the whole region, with 37.85. Bronze.

Yang Yue has her last throw disqualified, but keeps silver with 40.48.

3.07am BST

The first rowing medals in these games are won. Birgit Skarstein gets the gold in the women’s PR1 single sculls, an absolute mile (or 21 seconds) ahead of Israel’s Moran Samuel, and 31 seconds ahead of France’s Nathalie Benoit. That’s some kind of dominance. Skarstein was fourth in Rio, and has apparently done nothing but row like some Norse god of the oars ever since.

First gold of the Games for Norway, which until now had one bronze medal in table tennis.

3.03am BST

Archery: Ireland’s Kerri-Louise Leonard has won through her 1/16 elimination round against Jyoti Jyoti of India, in the women’s individual compound.

2.58am BST

Wheelchair basketball: Great Britain take care of Iran in the men’s match, 54-69.

2.58am BST

Discus: In the women’s F34 event, Australia’s Sarah Edmiston has thrown her way into a bronze medal position so far, improving with each of her first three throws to sit at 37.41. I think that’s a PB as well.

Mind you, you get a sense of the gulf to the very top when Yao Juan steps up with a spin of what looks like minimal effort, and casually Frisbees the discus 44.4 metres.

2.53am BST

Long jump: What an extraordinary achievement. Gold in Beijing, gold in London, gold in Rio, gold in Tokyo. Four times winning her event over the course of 13 years, the last of them coming at 40 years of age. One of the grandest records on the track or in the field.

Martinez misfires on her last jump, unable to do much more but run through after her sprinting approach. Then she immediately dissolves into tears - of joy, apparently - at having won a silver medal.

2.44am BST

800m T53: Australian fave Madison de Rozario qualifies first in her heat, four seconds outside her world record time.

2.39am BST

Table tennis: Cau and Baus are locked at two sets apiece in that first table tennis final that we mentioned earlier. “Down to the wire” klaxon.

2.36am BST

Long jump. Sara Martinez has used up five of her jumps now, but none have surpassed her second effort of 5.38. That leaves her 6cm behind Zubkovska, who has declined to jump on her last two opportunities. Come and get me, she’s saying.

2.33am BST

The women’s 100m T34 sees another champion performance. The Great Britain wheelchair racer won the 100m and 200m in London, the 100m, 400m, and 800m in Rio, and now the 100m here in Tokyo. Takes 0.18s off her own world record from earlier in the year, finishing in 16.39.

Her compatriot Kare Adenegan challenged her up to about the 70 metre mark but Cockroft just shot away from that point on, too much power. Silver for Great Britain there, with the third British racer Fabienne Andre finishing fifth.

2.20am BST

Table tennis: There will be more medals for China coming today, I would suggest. Eight gold-medal matches across categories. China has a contestant in six of those matches, and both contestants in two of them. The first has begun, the Class 5 with Cao Ningning and Germany’s Valentin Baus.

2.13am BST

Long jump: Japan’s Sawada Uran improves on her mark, jumping 5.15m. Stays in fifth place but that’s her season best.

2.11am BST

China is absolutely dominating, with a few that might not even have been added to our interactive yet. 30 gold and 77 total so far. Great Britain second with 17 gold and 46 total.

The plucky Aussies have slipped down to sixth behind I Can’t Believe It’s Not Russia, the USA and Ukraine.

2.04am BST

Long jump: Anna Kaniuk runs right through the launching pad and across the sandbox without jumping. It does take her past the 8 metre mark but technically that’s not a legit result, Anna. Belarus will have to try again.

2.02am BST

Long jump: Big effort from Zubkovska, a cheer upon standing, and... she’s jumped into the lead. That’s 5.54 metres, all of 6cm past Martinez. Can the Spaniard respond? Her third attempt, before Zubkovska’s jump, didn’t get near her second.

2.00am BST

Wheelchair basketball: Not far into the third quarter, and Great Britain men lead Iran 33-44.

1.59am BST

Archery: Lots of elimination matches happening in the archery, which I can’t describe to you because the broadcaster has not elected to broadcast it. Don’t know why that is, but all I can do from here is check the text results.

1.57am BST

Boccia: Let a million flowers bloom, but instead of flowers they’re boccia games. So many happening at the moment. They’re held on indoor courts with coloured boules, so it doesn’t have the Italian-pensioner-village-square kind of vibe, but it’s still more chilled out than the other sports. As a player? Go for this ahead of the football.

1.53am BST

Athletics: The T12 women’s long jump final is underway, second round of jumps happening now. Sara Martinez of Spain currently leads with 5.38m. Ukrainian Oksana Zubkovska holds the world record of 6.6 metres, but she set that nearly a decade ago, and her best today is well over a metre short of that.

1.44am BST

Football: I’ve not had the experience of watching this kind of 5-a-side before, and let me tell you, it is absolutely brutal. Non-contact? Pfffft. They are belting into each other every other moment.

This is a visual impairment sport, so the players are blindfolded aside from the goalkeepers, who aren’t allowed to leave a tiny box in front of goal. There are bells in the ball, and the goalkeeper can call directions to the players, as can an assistant behind each team’s target goal, directing the shooting.

1.30am BST

Triathlon: Lauren Parker speaks after being caught just before the line, saying that she knew Gretsch was on the way.

“I gave it everything I could. I put my head down and went for it. I’m pretty proud of my efforts.”

1.28am BST

Wheelchair basketball: A good start for the Great Britain men’s team against their old rivals Iran (I made that up), leading 19-24 in the second quarter. The Brits are currently second in their group behind their old rivals Australia (I made that up too).

1.25am BST

After another early start for the para-triathletes, Kendall Gretsch of the US roared from behind to pip Australia’s Lauren Parker in a thrilling finish at the line of the women’s PTWC race at Odaiba Marine Park. It looked like Parker would secure another gold for Australia, but an unbelievable final effort saw Gretsch reel her in on the final sprint to cross the line first by the slightest of margins. Incredible scenes. Eva Maria Moral Pedrero of Spain took bronze. In the men’s race, Jetze Platz ofd the Netherlands won gold, ahead of Florian Brungraber of Austria and Giovani Achenza of Italy.

Both PTS5 races are under way.

1.08am BST

Before we get properly stuck into today’s action, have a look at the best pics from day four in Tokyo.

1.00am BST

Hello and welcome. Today, day five, marks the single busiest day of these Games – a total of 62 (sixty-two!) gold medals are up for grabs across 17 sports. We’re already two down – in the early-starting men’s and women’s PTWC triathlon. More on those races shortly. But for now, here’s what else is on today’s agenda, courtesy of my colleague Martin Belam.

All events are listed here in local Tokyo time. Add an hour for Sydney, subtract eight hours for Leeds, 13 hours for New York and 16 hours for San Francisco.

View more on Geoff Lemon's website »

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Published on August 29, 2021 06:34

Tokyo Paralympics day five: GB gold in wheelchair rugby, plus athletics – live!

Results | Medal table | Full coverage | Daily briefing Golds for Cockroft and Steadman | Day five gallery Email, tweet @Simon_Burnton or comment below

1.45pm BST

Athletics: Peacock is safely through in second place, but Germany’s Felix Streng, who is coached by Peacock’s former coach Steve Fudge, looks very comfortable in winning the heat. They qualify along with Mpumelelo Mhlongo of South Africa for tomorrow’s final.

1.42pm BST

Athletics: Jonnie Peacock is on the track and about to go in his T64 100m heat...

1.31pm BST

Fencing: The men’s team foil gold medal match continues, between China and Great Britain. So far the British have basically been beating everyone put in front of them ... except Sun Gang, who is single-handedly responsible for China’s current 27-26 lead. He ends the event against Piers Gilliver, but there’s a way to go before that.

1.26pm BST

Here’s some further reading about today’s Paralympic action:

In the early athletics session Team GB’s Hannah Cockroft won her sixth gold medal in the T34 100m, while Lauren Steadman won gold in the PTS5 triathlon gold.

1.06pm BST

Wheelchair rugby: If this felt like a big, impactful moment then it was surely appropriate. Wheelchair rugby, the sport of smashing and grabbing and sprinting and crashing, is an iconic Paralympic event. It’s a sport of danger and cunning and of absolute granite determination. For the first time, Great Britain are its champions.

Led by Stuart Robinson, the former RAF gunner who lost both his legs to an IED in Afghanistan, and Jim Roberts, who turned to wheelchair rugby during the three years he spent in hospital recovering from bacterial meningitis, Great Britain beat the United States – the most successful nation in the history of the sport – by 54 tries to 49 and led from start to finish.

Much more here:

12.57pm BST

Fencing: The men’s foil team gold medal match is under way, between Great Britain and China. Very early days in this one, but China are 3-1 up as I type.

12.38pm BST

The best pictures from day five in Tokyo, all in one place:

12.36pm BST

Equestrian: It’s gold for Great Britain’s Lee Pearson, Natasha Baker and Sophie Wells in the Grade IV dressage team test to music. Denmark’s dream run didn’t happen - they ended up fourth - while it’s silver for the Netherlands and bronze for the USA.

12.32pm BST

Athletics: Another remarkable final, this time in the Men’s T54 400m. Athiwat Paeng-Nuea seems destined to take gold for Thailand, but in the final 50m Daniel Romanchuk of the USA makes up an entire wheelchair length to win it by a single hundredth of a second, or about a tyre’s width in a photo finish.

12.20pm BST

Equestrian: The Grade IV dressage is reaching it’s climax, and with the final horses now dancing Great Britain sits in gold medal position, with Denmark needing absolute horse dancing perfection if they are to snatch top spot.

12.17pm BST

Archery: Finals don’t come any closer than the mixed team compound event which just ended, with China needing a perfect 10 with their final arrow to steal victory from Turkey ... and nailing it! A remarkable final thus ended 153-152. The nation that shall not be named had earlier beaten Iran 153-151 in the bronze medal match to take third place.

11.58am BST

Athletics: Jason Smyth wins T13 100m gold again! The Beijing, London and Rio champion has done it again, by the tightest of margins: Algeria’s Skander Djamil Athmani was surging through, and would surely have won gold had the race been over 101m, but Smyth holds him off by a 0.01sec margin. Colombia’s Jean Mina Aponza comes third, while the British finalist, Zak Skinner, trails the field, coming in eighth.

11.53am BST

Swimming: The final race of the night is the women’s 4x100m 34pts freestyle, and it ends in surprise, chaos and bemusement as the USA (who appeared to have won the race) and Great Britain (who were out of the medal places anyway) are both disqualified for reasons as-yet unknown and Italy thus vault to first, Australia to second and a delighted Canada to third.

11.50am BST

Athletics: China’s Zhou Xia streaks to gold in the women’s T35 200m, overtaking Australia’s Isis Holt in the home straight to win by about five metres. Britain’s Maria Lyle finished a couple of seconds further back, but it was good enough for a bronze medal.

11.40am BST

Wheelchair rugby: Absolute scenes.

11.37am BST

Wheelchair rugby: Absolute pandemonium here in the Yoyogi National Stadium as Great Britain beat the USA 54-49 to win their first ever gold medal in wheelchair rugby and, we think, their first ever gold in a team sport full stop. Wheelchair rugby is such a symbolic parasport, it’s murderball after all, that this is like winning the Euros or something. And what a performance in the final quarter to seal it! GB veteran Stuart Robinson went from fall guy to firestarter as he brushed off being turned over at the start of the second half to absolutely dominate the final quarter. He and Jim Roberts were like Batman and Robin out there, or Martin Johnson and Jonny Wikinson, or Kane and Son whatever you like. It was glorious.

11.35am BST

Wheelchair rugby: Jim Roberts has a chat after Britain’s rugby success. He’s asked whether he still intends this to be his last Paralympics. “For the moment, yeah,” he answers, awkwardly. Also:

What an amazing shift that was. That was one to remember. I play to win every game I go into, so that’s what I wanted to come for. We knew there woul dbe some amazing teams here. USA are a class act, and it was just amazing to meet them in the final. They always beat us in the major tournaments and it was nice to put a nail in that one.

11.30am BST

Gold for Great Britain in wheelchair rugby! They pull away in the final quarter to beat the USA 54-49, with Japan having sealed bronze by beating Australia earlier today.

11.27am BST

Swimming: Just one race to go in the pool now. The women’s S11 50m freestyle has just ended with Ma Jia winning gold for China, Li Guizhi taking silver and the Cypriot Karolina Pelendritou finishing third. All three broke the previous world record, which had been held by Pelendritou - Ma took over half a second off it.

11.12am BST

Athletics: The evening session is under way, and Madison de Rozario has taken gold for Australia in the women’s T53 800m, her first Paralympic gold in her fourth games, completing a nine-year climb of the ladder after bronze in this event in Rio and fourth place in London. Zhou Hongzhuan won silver for China an Catherine Debrunner bronze for Switzerland. Britain’s Sam Kinghorn finished 0.04sec outside the medals in fourth.

11.06am BST

Wheelchair rugby: This final is on a knife-edge, with Team GB leading the USA 37-36 at the end of the third quarter. Paul MacInnes has sent another update:

This is some game. A hail mary try (sorry to mix sporting jargon there) gives the US a vital score in the last seconds of the first half to preserve the 1 point narrowing they achieved early on with a turn over on Stuart Robinson. US with the deep block and the over load, GB with the high press and the counter.

10.30am BST

Wheelchair rugby: The final is in progress, with Great Britain leading the USA 19-16 as I type, inside the second quarter. Paul MacInnes is there, and here’s his end-of-first-quarter mini report:

Strong first quarter from Great Britain with Jim Roberts to the fore. He has one steal and seven tries to his name and is both finding space in attack and closing it down in defence. I really think he looks like Kevin de Bruyne but no one agrees with me. Also some excellent timewasting by the Brits in that quarter. Is that ... shithousery?

10.25am BST

Swimming: Hannah Russell could only finish sixth in the women’s S13 50m freestyle final, won by Maria Gomes Santiago of Brazil, with Anna Krivshina of the nation that shall not be named in second, and Carlotta Gilli winning yet another medal for Italy, finishing as she did in third.

10.05am BST

Judo: It’s gold for Britain’s Chris Skelley in the men’s 100kg judo! Ben Goodrich of the USA can’t stop him in the gold final, and as I type he and his coach are embracing on the floor, wrapped in a union flag. And then come the tears!

9.57am BST

Swimming: Another silver for Britain in the pool, this time for Ellie Challis, who seems entirely delighted with the result. Ariola Trimi of Italy comfortably won gold by a margin of nearly four seconds, with Iulia Shishova of the nation that cannot be named came third.

9.44am BST

It’s quite frankly incredible to see and experience the system that’s been put in place to make Tokyo 2020 happen. It can sometimes be bizarre too.

Mammoth logistical operations for security or Covid testing that may have been in high demand during the Olympics are often eerily deserted now but the same rules are in place and there’s a distinct art to working out how to follow them.

9.36am BST

Swimming: Another world record in the women’s SB14 100m breaststroke, this time from Spain’s Michelle Alonso. Louise Fiddes trails in nearly four seconds behind her but it’s still enough to claim silver for Britain - she was fifth at the halfway mark, whereupon she ignited the afterburners - and Beatriz Carneiro comes third, two hundredths of a second ahead of her twin sister Débora, who comes fourth.

9.28am BST

Swimming: It’s gold and a world record for Naohide Yamaguchi of Japan in the men’s SB14 100m breaststroke final, with Australia’s Jake Michel second and Scott Quin snaffling bronze for Britain.

9.22am BST

Swimming: A quick guide to Britain’s medal hopes in the pool today, with BST times on this occasion (add eight for Tokyo times):

9.22am: The men’s 100m breaststroke SB14 final, featuring Conner Morrison and Scott Quin, is about to go.
9.28am: The women’s event features Louise Fiddes
9.35am: Simone Barlaam goes in the 50m freestyle S9 final
10.17am: The women’s S13 50m freestyle final includes Hannah Russell and Rebecca Redfern
11.34am: Women’s 4x100m freestyle relay 34pts final

8.49am BST

Judo: The first of the Judo medal matches have finished, deciding the men’s -90kg category, and in the gold final Iran’s Vahid Nouri has beaten Britain’s Elliot Stewart to maximum glory.

8.43am BST

Table tennis: Zhang Bian has beaten Pan Jiamin in a marathon see-saw women’s Class 5 table tennis final, coming back from two games down to win her fourth successive Paralympic gold.

8.31am BST

Table tennis: There was to be no table top celebration for Will Bayley this time. The larger than life table tennis star, who won a famous gold in the TT7 event in Rio, was outmuscled by Yan Shuo of China in this year’s final and had to take succour in silver instead.

The Englishman had the early momentum but a decisive moment in the second game saw Shuo grow in confidence and use his physical size to dominate the match. The Chinese athlete came back from one game down to win 3-1, the final game a superb test of contrasting styles that was ultimately decided by Shuo’s smash. But to describe Bayley as beaten, wouldn’t quite feel right.

Much more here:

8.17am BST

Hello world!

Medals incoming: There’s an absolute load of titles still to be decided today: table tennis, where the women’s Class 5 singles final is ongoing (China are guaranteed both gold and silver there) with the Class 3 final to follow (In which a Slovakian might beat China to gold), with men’s Class 11 (featuring Australia’s Samuel Von Einem) and Class 10 gold medal matches to follow. There have been delays in the fencing, but men’s and women’s team foil medal matches should start shortly, and there is a mixed wheelchair rugby gold medal match, between the USA and Great Britain, scheduled for 6pm local time.

8.01am BST

I’m going to hand you over to Simon Burnton now, who will take you below the action and much, much more. Ciao for now.

7.58am BST

There is still plenty of action to come on the busiest single day of these Games. Seventeen sports sports are in action and 62 gold medals on offer. Big night for the swimming with 13 golds up for grabs at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, more athletics finals at the Olympic Stadium and the sitting volleyball and table tennis medal matches. The wheelchair tennis has also got away on time after delays the past couple of days due to the heat.

7.48am BST

Wheelchair basketball: The United States are making a statement against Australia in the men’s preliminary round, leading 45-28 in the third quarter. GB lead Group B but Australia and the US – second and third place respectively – have this game in hand. At this rate, the Americans will leapfrog both.

7.38am BST

Wheelchair rugby: That’s all she wrote. Batt was vocal until the very end, never letting it rest, but the host nation were too strong, too consistent, and have taken the bronze. Wheelchair rugby is a popular sport in Japan and it seems fitting this team stood on the podium at a home Games. Disappointment is written all over the Steelers’ faces.

7.32am BST

Wheelchair rugby: There are 90 seconds to play and while the Steelers closed the gap by a couple of points the score still stands at 58-50 in favour of Japan.

7.30am BST

Table tennis: Bhavina Patel, who on today became the first Indian table tennis player to earn a place on the Paralympics podium to date, has a high-profile fan.

What a wonderful news for all of on #NationalSportsDay. Congratulations on the silver medal @BhavinaPatel6. This is a historic achievement!

Every medal we win will inspire millions into the sport, & sow the seeds for more medals in future. Good start for us at #Paralympics . pic.twitter.com/4f0pz0hKuc

7.16am BST

Wheelchair rugby: Japan lead 45-36 at the final break and it’s very difficult to see Australia recovering in the time they have left. The Steelers were never on the front foot against the host nation and barring some kind of outrageous late drama it looks as if the Steelers will leave a Paralympics without a medal for the first time since 2004 and just the third time since the sport was introduced in 1996.

7.08am BST

Wheelchair rugby: The Steelers are in a hole. A big one. Japan lead 41-33 with two minutes to play in the third quarter and Australia’s defensive errors are letting them down.

7.02am BST

In case you missed this story overnight, Afghanistan athletes Zakia Khudadadi and Hossain Rasouli will take part in the Tokyo Paralympics after being safely evacuated from Kabul. The pair looked set to miss the event following the Taliban’s return to power in their native country but arrived in the Japanese capital on Saturday via a week-long stay in Paris.

6.52am BST

Wheelchair basketball: Australia’s men have started their Group B match against the USA and lead 8-5 in the first quarter, while Germany are up 4-0 against Algeria.

6.43am BST

Wheelchair rugby: Japan have consolidated their lead 30-25 at half-time. Australia have work to do in these next two quarters.

6.34am BST

Here’s the dramatic finish to the women’s triathlon earlier:

What an extraordinary finish to the women's PTWC #Triathlon! #USA's Kendall Gretsch beats #AUS's Lauren Parker ON THE FINISH LINE!#Tokyo2020 #Paralympics @worldtriathlon pic.twitter.com/RL22NTIB87

6.26am BST

Wheelchair rugby: The pressure is on Australia, who trail 17-14 at the first break, particularly from Japan’s undisputed star Daisuke Ikezaki.

6.23am BST

Goalball: A round-up of results:

Japan 3-8 Brazil (men’s Group A)
Egypt 0-10 Japan (women’s Group D)
Belgium 2-4 Ukraine (men’s Group B)

6.12am BST

A defensive foul is called for an errant hand from Ryley Batt and he’s sin-binned. The Japanese will want to keep the Australian captain off the court as much as they can. Batt has four tries but Japan have just headed into a timeout ahead 8-7.

6.07am BST

Also a heads-up that the USA will play Great Britain for the gold medal at 6pm local time.

6.05am BST

Wheelchair rugby: Australia have just started their bronze medal match against Japan and it’s 2-2 two minutes in. The Steelers are having to work hard to keep possession though.

5.45am BST

A recap from earlier today for the ParalympicsGB fans, Great Britain picked up a full complement of triathlon medals, led by former Strictly Come Dancing star Lauren Steadman who upgraded the PT4 silver she won in Rio five years ago to PTS5 gold with a finish of 1:04:46 – 41 seconds clear of American Grace Norman.

GB teammate Claire Cashmore completed the podium in that race in a time of 1:07:36, while fellow Briton George Peasgood won men’s silver in 58:55.

5.35am BST

A second #ParaRowing gold of the day for #GBR !

Ellen Buttrick, Giedre Rakauskaite, James Fox and Oliver Stanhope, plus cox Erin Kennedy, prevail in the PR3 mixed coxed four - PR3Mix4+ final#Gold #GBR #Silver #USA #Bronze #FRA #Tokyo2020 #Paralympics @WorldRowing

5.17am BST

Boccia: A LOT of pool games happening at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre. Australia’s Spencer Cotie has beaten Brit Jamie McCowan 5-2 and McCowan’s brother Scott has seen off Stefania Ferrando 6-1.

This is a nice quick explainer on the sport to help your viewing pleasure:

5.00am BST

Athletics: Australian vision-impaired sprinter Chad Perris, who was born with albinism and is nicknamed the White Tiger, has finished second in his T13 100m heat in 10.90 to progress to tonight’s final.

4.49am BST

Australian rowing silver medallist Erik Horrie has just spoken to Seven. He did not secure the gold he has long coveted but did make it a third consecutive silver at a Paralympics in the men’s single sculls rowing final.

“It means the world to me,” he says. “That was one of the hardest races I think we’ve had to go through ... it means a little bit more for me today. It’s my son’s ninth birthday. He was born at my very first Paralympics in London, so this one is definitely for him.

4.35am BST

Athletics: Yet another world record, this time in the women’s T36 200m, and yet another Chinese gold, this time for Shi Yiting (28.21 seconds), who accounted for 20-year-old Kiwi Danielle Aitchison (29.88) by more than a second and a half. Argentine Yanina Andrea Martinez (30.96) was a further second adrift.

4.30am BST

Table tennis: Britain’s William Bayley couldn’t hang in their against Yan Shuo of China, going down in four games despite winning the first comfortably. Yan prevailed 3-1 (4-11, 11-9, 11-2, 11-8) to walk away with gold. Still it’s a 14th silver for Team GB at the Games to take their total medal tally to 49. They currently sit second on the table, well behind leaders China who have a ridiculous 82 medals including 33 gold.

4.22am BST

Hello, no sooner have I logged on than Russian shot putter Denis Gnezdilov has set a world record on his way to winning gold in the men’s F40 category. He thew 11.16m, which easily accounts for the previous record of 11.01m set in February by Portugal’s Miguel Monteiro. Iraq’s silver medallist Garrah Tnaiash was breathing down his neck with 11.15m while Monteiro claimed bronze with 10.76.

4.11am BST

Righto, knock off time for me. So much more to come. Emma Kemp is ready to take you through it.

4.09am BST

The standings remain as they were. Khattab gold, Ye silver, Abdelhady bronze. The winning lift of 231 is a Games record, though Khattab doesn’t attempt to push past his separate world record.

4.07am BST

The coxed four PR3 final this time. Ellen Buttrick, James Fox, Giedre Rakauskaite, and Oliver Stanhope, coxed by Erin Kennedy. A splendid Tokyo morning for Great Britain on the waterway.

USA silver, France bronze.

4.05am BST

Table tennis: I have to say, the Chinese team shirts with a massive purple dragon on a black background deserve all the gold medals, tennis results not withstanding. The score is 8-8 in the second set for Bayley and Yan.

3.58am BST

Table tennis: Bayley is up one set to nil in his gold medal match...

3.57am BST

Powerlifting: Khattab has gone to 231 in the final, just for kicks really. Ye tries to lift 231 as well, but can’t. Abdelhady tries 221 to take Ye’s silver spot, but also falters. One more lift apiece.

3.52am BST

Table tennis: William Bayley is up for a Great Britain gold medal in the men’s Class 7 final against Yan Shuo. Starting... now.

3.50am BST

Football: Another brutal game of blindfolded 5-a-side has begun, with Brazil playing China in the men’s draw.

3.48am BST

No, Barry, not that sort. Laurence Whitley and Lauren Rowles win another gruelling rowing race in 8:38.99. This sport looks extremely tough. Most of them do, but rowing especially. The GB pair establish a decent lead by the 1000m mark and hold it fast for the second half.

China is in second place for much of the race, but it sounds like they lost navigation and accidentally crossed over a lane towards the end. They still qualify for a finish in third place, but the Dutch yoink them for a silver medal.

3.40am BST

Powerlifting: In the men’s -88 kg final, it’s Jordan in the lead - the kingdom, not the model - via Abdelkareem Mohmmad Ahmad Khattab. The big guy holds the world record of 240 kilograms benched. He’s gone as far as 225 today, with another lift of 226 pencilled in just in case China’s Ye Jixiong succeeds with a proposed lift of 225. Hany Abdelhady has the bronze spot currently for Egypt with 214.

3.31am BST

Table tennis: Valentin Baus won gold in that earlier match for Germany, the men’s Class 5 final over Cao Ningning. China scores a gold in the next match though, with Zhou Ying taking the women’s Class 4 over Bhavinaben Hasmukhbhai Patel, who wins India’s first medal of these Games with silver.

3.28am BST

Archery: Great Britain archer Phoebe Patterson Pine wins through her 1/16 elimination match against the Russian Tatiana Andrievskaia, 138-142.

PPP lost the fifth set by three, which makes the overall look closer than it was, but she’d won the first and third sets, and tied the others.

3.26am BST

The men’s PR1 single sculls, not an event for the fainthearted, with ten minutes or so of intense solo time on the river, is done. Ukraine’s Roman Polyanskyi takes it out, the world record holder able to go much more easily here, and still gets in 12 seconds ahead of Australia’s Eric Horrie. The pair shake hands from boat to boat. Rene Campos Pereira takes bronze for Brazil.

3.22am BST

Discus: The standings remain as they were, but the throws change in the women’s F64. Sarah Edmiston steps up to throw yet another personal best today, an area record as well for the whole region, with 37.85. Bronze.

Yang Yue has her last throw disqualified, but keeps silver with 40.48.

3.07am BST

The first rowing medals in these games are won. Birgit Skarstein gets the gold in the women’s PR1 single sculls, an absolute mile (or 21 seconds) ahead of Israel’s Moran Samuel, and 31 seconds ahead of France’s Nathalie Benoit. That’s some kind of dominance. Skarstein was fourth in Rio, and has apparently done nothing but row like some Norse god of the oars ever since.

First gold of the Games for Norway, which until now had one bronze medal in table tennis.

3.03am BST

Archery: Ireland’s Kerri-Louise Leonard has won through her 1/16 elimination round against Jyoti Jyoti of India, in the women’s individual compound.

2.58am BST

Wheelchair basketball: Great Britain take care of Iran in the men’s match, 54-69.

2.58am BST

Discus: In the women’s F34 event, Australia’s Sarah Edmiston has thrown her way into a bronze medal position so far, improving with each of her first three throws to sit at 37.41. I think that’s a PB as well.

Mind you, you get a sense of the gulf to the very top when Yao Juan steps up with a spin of what looks like minimal effort, and casually Frisbees the discus 44.4 metres.

2.53am BST

Long jump: What an extraordinary achievement. Gold in Beijing, gold in London, gold in Rio, gold in Tokyo. Four times winning her event over the course of 13 years, the last of them coming at 40 years of age. One of the grandest records on the track or in the field.

Martinez misfires on her last jump, unable to do much more but run through after her sprinting approach. Then she immediately dissolves into tears - of joy, apparently - at having won a silver medal.

2.44am BST

800m T53: Australian fave Madison de Rozario qualifies first in her heat, four seconds outside her world record time.

2.39am BST

Table tennis: Cau and Baus are locked at two sets apiece in that first table tennis final that we mentioned earlier. “Down to the wire” klaxon.

2.36am BST

Long jump. Sara Martinez has used up five of her jumps now, but none have surpassed her second effort of 5.38. That leaves her 6cm behind Zubkovska, who has declined to jump on her last two opportunities. Come and get me, she’s saying.

2.33am BST

The women’s 100m T34 sees another champion performance. The Great Britain wheelchair racer won the 100m and 200m in London, the 100m, 400m, and 800m in Rio, and now the 100m here in Tokyo. Takes 0.18s off her own world record from earlier in the year, finishing in 16.39.

Her compatriot Kare Adenegan challenged her up to about the 70 metre mark but Cockroft just shot away from that point on, too much power. Silver for Great Britain there, with the third British racer Fabienne Andre finishing fifth.

2.20am BST

Table tennis: There will be more medals for China coming today, I would suggest. Eight gold-medal matches across categories. China has a contestant in six of those matches, and both contestants in two of them. The first has begun, the Class 5 with Cao Ningning and Germany’s Valentin Baus.

2.13am BST

Long jump: Japan’s Sawada Uran improves on her mark, jumping 5.15m. Stays in fifth place but that’s her season best.

2.11am BST

China is absolutely dominating, with a few that might not even have been added to our interactive yet. 30 gold and 77 total so far. Great Britain second with 17 gold and 46 total.

The plucky Aussies have slipped down to sixth behind I Can’t Believe It’s Not Russia, the USA and Ukraine.

2.04am BST

Long jump: Anna Kaniuk runs right through the launching pad and across the sandbox without jumping. It does take her past the 8 metre mark but technically that’s not a legit result, Anna. Belarus will have to try again.

2.02am BST

Long jump: Big effort from Zubkovska, a cheer upon standing, and... she’s jumped into the lead. That’s 5.54 metres, all of 6cm past Martinez. Can the Spaniard respond? Her third attempt, before Zubkovska’s jump, didn’t get near her second.

2.00am BST

Wheelchair basketball: Not far into the third quarter, and Great Britain men lead Iran 33-44.

1.59am BST

Archery: Lots of elimination matches happening in the archery, which I can’t describe to you because the broadcaster has not elected to broadcast it. Don’t know why that is, but all I can do from here is check the text results.

1.57am BST

Boccia: Let a million flowers bloom, but instead of flowers they’re boccia games. So many happening at the moment. They’re held on indoor courts with coloured boules, so it doesn’t have the Italian-pensioner-village-square kind of vibe, but it’s still more chilled out than the other sports. As a player? Go for this ahead of the football.

1.53am BST

Athletics: The T12 women’s long jump final is underway, second round of jumps happening now. Sara Martinez of Spain currently leads with 5.38m. Ukrainian Oksana Zubkovska holds the world record of 6.6 metres, but she set that nearly a decade ago, and her best today is well over a metre short of that.

1.44am BST

Football: I’ve not had the experience of watching this kind of 5-a-side before, and let me tell you, it is absolutely brutal. Non-contact? Pfffft. They are belting into each other every other moment.

This is a visual impairment sport, so the players are blindfolded aside from the goalkeepers, who aren’t allowed to leave a tiny box in front of goal. There are bells in the ball, and the goalkeeper can call directions to the players, as can an assistant behind each team’s target goal, directing the shooting.

1.30am BST

Triathlon: Lauren Parker speaks after being caught just before the line, saying that she knew Gretsch was on the way.

“I gave it everything I could. I put my head down and went for it. I’m pretty proud of my efforts.”

1.28am BST

Wheelchair basketball: A good start for the Great Britain men’s team against their old rivals Iran (I made that up), leading 19-24 in the second quarter. The Brits are currently second in their group behind their old rivals Australia (I made that up too).

1.25am BST

After another early start for the para-triathletes, Kendall Gretsch of the US roared from behind to pip Australia’s Lauren Parker in a thrilling finish at the line of the women’s PTWC race at Odaiba Marine Park. It looked like Parker would secure another gold for Australia, but an unbelievable final effort saw Gretsch reel her in on the final sprint to cross the line first by the slightest of margins. Incredible scenes. Eva Maria Moral Pedrero of Spain took bronze. In the men’s race, Jetze Platz ofd the Netherlands won gold, ahead of Florian Brungraber of Austria and Giovani Achenza of Italy.

Both PTS5 races are under way.

1.08am BST

Before we get properly stuck into today’s action, have a look at the best pics from day four in Tokyo.

1.00am BST

Hello and welcome. Today, day five, marks the single busiest day of these Games – a total of 62 (sixty-two!) gold medals are up for grabs across 17 sports. We’re already two down – in the early-starting men’s and women’s PTWC triathlon. More on those races shortly. But for now, here’s what else is on today’s agenda, courtesy of my colleague Martin Belam.

All events are listed here in local Tokyo time. Add an hour for Sydney, subtract eight hours for Leeds, 13 hours for New York and 16 hours for San Francisco.

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Published on August 29, 2021 05:45

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