We hear “it’s a game of inches” a lot in sport. It’s a cliché meant to illustrate how all the small details add up to the result on the field of play.
We’re Canadian, and we’re talking about Paralympic sport, so let’s convert that old saying into centimetres.
How much is six centimetres, really? It’s about the length of a golf tee.
Today, six centimetres meant Greg Stewart won his second straight Paralympic gold medal in the men’s F46 shot put.
“Maybe in a day or two, I’ll be able to tell you (how it feels). I’m not really sure yet, but I think it was a pretty fun competition,” Stewart said. “Our sport has grown a lot. We’ve got three guys throwing over 16 metres in this final. I don’t really know how I feel yet.”
Throwdown
Stewart’s fifth throw was the gold medal throw, flying 16.38 metres. India’s Sachin Sarjerao Khilari’s second throw went 16.32 metres. Bronze medallist Luka Bakovic wasn’t far off the pace with his bet throw of 16.27 metres.
But that doesn’t tell the whole story. In the Paralympics, where the importance of every throw is heightened, having three competitors who were so closely matched meant that the margin for error was wiped out completely.
Stewart’s first throw travelled 15.63 metres, and he finished the first round tied with Kerwin Noemdo of South Africa. Stewart improved his second throw to 16.01 metres, but Khilari launched his second throw 16.32 metres. It was the first time in his two Paralympic Games, that Stewart finished a round outside the lead.
In round 3, he re-took the lead with a throw of 16.34 centimetres. If you’re doing the math at home, that was two tiny centimetres further than Khilari. In round 5, Stewart got that fateful throw of 16.38 metres that would hold up as the winning throw.
From Comeback to Back-To-Back
Enough math – let’s talk about a champion’s journey.
Stewart retired from competition in 2022. He co-authored a children’s book. Paris 2024 was not to be for the defending champ.
Less than a year ago, he announced that he was coming back to the sport. With the clock ticking to qualify for Paris, he won silver at the 2024 World Para Athletics Championships, earning a quota spot for Canada.
“I wanted to come back. I wanted to continue supporting the Paralympic movement and continuing to support athletes same way we can. I’m just really happy and grateful to be here.”
Is this where the story ends? Not necessarily. The next Paralympic Games are in Los Angeles in 2028. That’s a pretty convenient flight from his B.C. home.
“I’m still planning for L.A. This is just halfway there,” Stewart said.
Bolton Wraps Up Her Paris Double
Charlotte Bolton made her second trip to Paris’s Paralympic throwing ring this week. After a 10th place finish in the women’s F41 shot put on Friday, Bolton scored a 6th place finish in the women’s F41 discus this morning.
The two-time Paralympian’s best throw travelled 28.53 metres.
“I’m pleased with how my throws went. Not necessarily ecstatic, but I’m definitely proud that after shot put, I came in and I threw around what my training average is,” Bolton said. “You always hope for your PBs, but sometimes it doesn’t happen. I made the top six, so I am pretty proud of myself.”
Pegg Takes 7th in Paralympic Debut
Katie Pegg distinguished herself in her first Paralympic Games. She finished 7th in the women’s F46 shot put with a best throw of 10.72 metres. By virtue of being in the top 8 after the first three rounds, she advanced with the rest of the top 8 to throw the final three rounds of the final.
“It was an amazing experience – definitely one I can learn from going forward. I can definitely improve and take what I’ve learned today and apply it to every competition in the future,” Pegg said. “It’s been amazing being in the Village with all the other para athletes, being around other Canadians, learning about their stories and their journeys. Learning about new sports is amazing. Being able to compete on a big international stage where you get to show off what you’re capable of, despite being an athlete with a disability. is definitely amazing.”
Tomorrow at Paris 2024
Brent Lakatos is back on the track Thursday morning, racing in the men’s T53 800 metre semi-final, with an eye towards making tomorrow night’s final and adding to his 12 Paralympic medals.
Julia Hanes has her own final to prepare for. She will take on the women’s F33 shot put field in her second event of these Games. Hanes was 8th in the women’s F33 javelin final on Sunday.
Then the track heats up, with three more Canadian para athletes racing for a spot in their event finals. Marissa Papaconstantinou (T64 100 metres), Keegan Gaunt (T13 400 metres), and Anthony Bouchard (T52 100 metres) take on the world in the evening session.
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