SILVER MEDAL Alert - Holly Robinson Women's Javelin F46

New Zealand’s flag bearer Holly Robinson was in personal best form as she won silver in the Women’s Javelin F46 at Athletics Stadium in Rio this morning (BRT).
 
Robinson threw a massive personal best of 41.22m on her fifth attempt to secure the silver medal. She proudly took the New Zealand flag once again from her supporters, and held it high as she celebrated her success. The gold was won by Holly Arnold (GRT) with a world record throw of 43.01m
 
Robinson’s silver medal victory follows on from yesterday’s ‘gold rush’ for the New Zealand Paralympic Team in Rio where they had what must be the most successful single day in its 48-year history, collecting a record 2 GOLD medals and 1 BRONZE in the pool and 1 GOLD at the athletics track. The team, which had already had an outstanding start to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, came in yesterday with 9 medals in the bag, to add another 4.


 
The first 2 medals came via epic races from seasoned performers, three-time Paralympians Cameron Leslie in the Men’s 150 Individual Medley SM4 and Sophie Pascoe in the Women’s 100m Butterfly S10. Leslie won gold and smashed his own World Record for the second Paralympic Games in a row. In securing gold, Pascoe became New Zealand’s most successful Paralympian ever, matching the medal haul of legendary Paralympian Eve Rimmer with 14, edging ahead of Rimmer with 9 gold to 8. Pascoe has now won 4 medals in Rio, 3 gold back-to-back and a silver with a personal best swim.
 
Over at the Olympic Stadium, Paralympic debutant Liam Malone certainly did not appear at all phased by the occasion; the blade runner won gold in the Men’s 200m T44 and set a new Paralympic Record as he went. Back at the pool, New Zealand’s youngest ever Paralympian four years ago at just 13, Nikita Howarth, won her first Paralympic medal in a stellar swim that earned bronze in the Women's 200m IM SM7. 
 
Holly Robinson – goes into the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games ranked number one in the world in the Women’s Javelin F46. The 21-year-old Hokitika native started her Paralympic journey in earnest after accepting a scholarship to train in Dunedin under coach Raylene Bates, five years ago. Robinson rose immediately through the international rankings and was selected to the New Zealand London 2012 Paralympic Games Team on year later, finishing seventh.
Holly Robinson’s biography can be found here.
 
The 31-strong New Zealand Paralympic Games Team will compete at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games between 8-19 September 2016 NZT, with a mighty global contingent of 4,350 other athletes from 160 countries. The Paralympics is the world’s largest multi-sport event for disabled athletes. New Zealand will contest six Para-Sports, chasing a target of 18 medals in total, including 12 gold medals.


 
Where can kiwis watch our Paralympians in action?
 
Views can catch the New Zealand Paralympic Team in action at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games by tuning into DUKE on Freeview 13, Sky 23 or online at www.tvnz.co.nz/duke (find daily schedule here: www.tvnz.co.nz/paralympics2016/schedule), by watching the daily highlights programme on TV1 at 9.30pm, or by visiting www.tvnz.co.nz/ondemand/paralympics or http://attitudelive.com/rio-2016-paralympics to watch on demand. Results will also be shown on ONE News, Breakfast and Seven Sharp. Additionally, coverage can be found by visiting the Paralympics website: www.paralympic.org.
 
In addition to this and as a result of huge public interest in New Zealand TVNZ has created a second live stream so you can choose between the coverage of DUKE or live Para-Swimming or Para-Athletics action:

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/ondemand/paralympics-swimming AND
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/ondemand/paralympics-athletics