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Swimmers add two bronze to Para tally

3 minute read

Queensland's Katja Dedekind and Sydneysider Tiffany Thomas Kane have both won Paralympic bronze in the pool while three Australian men placed fourth.

Australia's swimmers added two bronze medals to their Paralympic tally and narrowly missed a further three in Tokyo on Friday.

Queensland's Katja Dedekind won her second bronze of the Games and Sydneysider Tiffany Thomas Kane also clinched a medal while Jesse Aungles, Liam Schluter and Braedan Jason all finished fourth.

Competing in the S8 100 metres backstroke, Aungles was shattered to again miss a medal after making the final in four events in Rio 2016 without a podium finish.

The race was won by American Robert Griswold in a world record one minute 2.55 seconds while Aungles equalled his personal best with 1:07.94.

"I'm a bit shattered - always the bridesmaid never the bride unfortunately at the Paralympics," said the 26-year-old South Australian who won silver in the event at the 2019 world championships.

Schluter finished fourth in the mens' 200m freestyle S14 with Ricky Betar seventh, before Jason placed fourth in the 400 metres freestyle S13 behind Belarusian legend Ihar Boki.

Kane lined up in the SM7 200 metres individual medley and was part of a heart-stopping surge to the line.

While American Mallory Weggemann was a clear winner, just 0.34 seconds separated the next three swimmers, while 15-year-old Australian Isabella Vincent was sixth.

Dedekind managed to hold on for bronze in the women's 400 metres freestyle (S13) after also placing third in the 100m backstroke while she also won bronze in Rio.

The visually impaired 20-year-old beat her personal best by more than two seconds.

"This morning was a nice cruisy swim but that really hurt," Dedekind said.

She thanked her coach Nathan Doyle for pushing her out of her comfort zone.

"Thank you so much for pushing me in the annoying 400 - we know it's not my favourite thing in the world but thank you for pushing me to do it because I wouldn't be here without you," she said.

Teenager Ruby Storm placed seventh in the women's 200m freestyle S14, following her bronze in the 100m butterfly earlier in the Games.