Paralympic Swimming Final

[boyse7en]

I'm trying to find a clip/footage of a swimming race from (i think) the Rio 2016 Paralympics.

I think it was a 50m breaststroke final.

It only had two swimmers competing in it, and one of them was a guy who didn't normally swim breaststroke but entered so that the only other entrant had someone to race against. It was a really close-run race.

I've searched on YT but can't seem to find it. all the races i find have more competitors. Anyone remember anything else (like the athletes' names) that i could use in a search?

[FunkyNige]

Not immediately helpful I know, but I can't see any results where a bronze medal wasn't awarded in this list
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swimming_at_the_2016...
(unless there were 2 silvers awarded) so I don't think it could have been at that meet?

[boyse7en]

FunkyNige said:

Not immediately helpful I know, but I can't see any results where a bronze medal wasn't awarded in this list
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swimming_at_the_2016...
(unless there were 2 silvers awarded) so I don't think it could have been at that meet?

You're right. And the 2012 London event doesn't seem to have any either.

I'm not sure what other championship it would have been. It would have been on terrestrial TV, probably the BBC, so must have been a major event.

[boyse7en]

Found it!

It was the 50 Breaststroke final at the Invictus Games.

Mark Omrod from Plymouth and an Australian guy called Garry Robinson. Ormrod had never swum Breaststroke before, but he volunteered to compete because otherwise the event would have been cancelled, meaning the original entrant would have been denied a medal.
One of the most exciting races i've watched. Para or normal swimming...

Now just need to find some footage. Proving elusive...

EDIT: Found Some!
https://youtu.be/HwW_AvhFv1w?t=38384

Edited by boyse7en on Monday 2nd September 16:05

Edited by boyse7en on Monday 2nd September 16:06

[Randy Winkman]

Puts my swimming into perspective.

[The jiffle king]

Just saw this thread and was not going to watch the race but it was worth it. Great interview with Omerod as well

[suthol]

My wife and I went to the swimming finals at the paras in Sydney 2000.

There wasn't a dry eye in the house, way beyond amazing

[PomBstard]

We’re regulars at multi class swimming events and what these two did is not unusual, though the Invictus Games is a slightly different beast, and no worse for it. Watching the determination of people physical abilities significantly different to many of us battle their way through 50 or 100 metres of swimming is utterly astounding, with finishes as close as this. Often gets dusty poolside...

We went to the athletics on the day this race took place and I would recommend to anyone to go to any event at the IG or Para games.

[PomBstard]

For those that might be interested the World Para Swimming Championship started this week in London - lots of clips and live stream on YouTube