The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games September 6-17, 2008
The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games September 6-17, 2008
(BEIJING, September 12) -- Great Britain won the Team gold medal, while the Republic of Korea and Brazil both earned Pairs titles in action at the Fencing Hall on Friday, September 12.
TEAM BC1/2
British trio Nigel Murray, Dan Bentley and David Smith were at their best, beating defending champions Portugal 8-4 to win the gold medal. Two precise throws from Smith, the youngest member of the team, gave Britain a 6-1 lead in the third end. Led by Murray, the Individual BC2 gold medalist in Sydney and silver medalist in Beijing, the World No. 1 team closed out the game with clever tactical play, blocking channels where Portugal might have added points.
The result was a disappointment for Portugal's Joao Paulo Fernandes, who was targeting an unprecedented consecutive double gold medal to match his effort in Athens.
"It means absolutely everything. I can't even begin to describe this feeling. At last we can say we're No. 1," Smith said after the win. "We've worked so hard for it -- now we've got it. And we're going to try to defend it in 2012."
Spain won the bronze medal, hanging on for a tight 5-4 win over the spirited Chinese team. The win gave Manuel Angel Martin his second bronze, adding to the Individual BC 2 medal he won on Tuesday. His teammates Pedro Cordero, Jose Vaquerizo and World No. 1 Javier Francisco Beltran had won the Team bronze medal in Athens, and this is the fifth consecutive Paralympics in which Spain has won a medal in the Team event.
BC3 Pairs
In a repeat of Athens 2004, the Republic of Korea claimed the gold medal, with an 8-1 victory over Spain. The ROK team's Jeong Ho-won, the Individual BC3 bronze medal winner, the young Park Keon-woo, the Individual BC3 gold medal winner, and reserve Shin Bo-mee were simply too good for Spain.
"Winning the first gold medal three days ago in the individual event was a great experience," Park commented on the victory. "But having the pair event in mind, I wasn't able to indulge myself in ecstasy. I tried to calm down and shift my focus to the competition today (on Friday)."
Portuguese pair Armando Costa and Mario Peixoto plus reserve Eunice Raimundo won bronze and were always in control of their match against Thailand which they won 4-1.
BC4 Pairs
Eliseu Santos and Dirceu Pinto won gold for Brazil with the very last throw of their match against the World No. 1 Portuguese team. Portugal's Bruno Valentim and Fernando Pereira had a one-point advantage in the fourth end, for a 3-2 lead. A tie-break looked inevitable. But a brilliant long throw from Santos nudged Portugal's blue ball away and put two reds closest to the jack, giving the world No. 6 Brazil a 5-2 victory.
The result means both Pinto and Santos both take home two Paralympic medals. Pinto adds to his Individual BC4 gold and Santos to his Individual BC4 bronze won on Tuesday.
"I was happy with the first gold, now I'm more than happy," Pinto said. "I can't put it into words. I thought it would be impossible to get another gold -- I have to thank God for that."
The Czech pair Ladislav Kratina and Radek Prochazka were rewarded for their impressive performances, defeating Spain 7-3 to take home the bronze medal, the nation's first ever in Paralympic Boccia.
