IT WAS raining in Beijing but there were no clouds to mar the view inside the Fencing Centre yesterday as Team Ireland pocketed its first medal at the Paralympics with a bronze for Gabriel Shelly's performance in the boccia competition, while a rake of domestic records were broken by Irish athletes in the Chinese capital.
Adding to the sweetness of the 6-2 victory, Shelly beat local favourite and former chess master Wang Yi, who had knocked out his Irish team-mate Pádraic Moran in the quarter-finals a day earlier, 6-2 in a packed Fencing Centre.
Boccia is a Paralympian sport which resembles boules. The aim is to bowl or throw a set of coloured balls and position them closer to a white marker ball, the jack, than those of your opponent.
This is the Bagenalstown's man second Paralympic medal having won gold in Sydney 2000. He was denied in the semi-final by old rival Antonio Marques of Portugal.
"I'm absolutely over the moon to medal! I had a plan about how to play it. My team-mate, Pádraic, helped me with the strategy; he gave me ideas about how to play him after yesterday. He advised me to go long on him so I did and it really worked; I felt strong mentally too," said Shelly. His attentions now turn to the team competition today, which he will captain.
Boccia team manager and coach Jacquie Connolly described Shelly as a role model for all would-be boccia players.
On a day when Beijing witnessed relatively heavy rainfall, the misty Bird's Nest Stadium witnessed some fine performances. The man that so many wanted to see, "Blade Runner" Oscar Pistorious of South Africa, ran a thrilling race in the Men's 100 metres (T44), streaking home in 11.17 seconds to take the gold and just missing his Paralympic record.
Flag bearer Patrice Dockery was the only Irish athlete to compete in the Bird's Nest, starting her sixth Paralympics, and she came fifth in the second heat in the Wheelchair 400 metres (T53), which was not enough to make the finals. She now focuses on the 100 metres on Thursday, her favourite event.
In cycling, Catherine Walsh and her sighted pilot rider Joanna Hickey set a new Irish record in the Women's Individual Pursuit (BVI Class) with a time of 3:50.515, shaving over 2.5 seconds off their previous best, at the velodrome in Laoshan.
Dubliner Enda Smyth also competed this morning in the Men's 1km Time Trial (CP4 Class). Smyth finished in seventh position, marginally outside his personal best, with a time of 1:16.074.
Cathal Miller also came in seventh in the final of the 1km time trial (LC1 class) at the Velodrome.
Several of the Irish swimmers were in action at the Water Cube. Clontarf teenager Ellen Keane finished second in her heat in the 100 metre backstroke (SB8Class), then finished sixth in the finals won by Russia's Olesya Vladykina.
Johnny Cummings finished eighth in the final of the 100 metres breaststroke (S6 Class), laying down an Irish record time of 1:29.26 in the process, while Stephen Campbell made his Paralympic debut in the 100 metre butterfly (S11 Class) heats, where he finished 10th and just shy of his personal best time.
Archer Sean Heary got his Paralympic campaign underway, progressing through the ranking round and he will face Michael Arenz of Germany in the direct elimination round this morning.
Choi Hyun-Ja of South Korea beat Kathleen Reynolds 3-1 in women's individual class 3 table tennis.
IRISH IN ACTION
Yesterday's results
Gabriel Shelly (Boccia Individual, BC1 semi-final) v A Marques (Portugal) - lost 4-1; bronze medal match play-off - won 6-2
Jonathan Cummings (Swimming 100m BS, Heat S6) - 5th in heat (1:29.92), went into final.
Stephen Campbell (Swimming 100m BF, Heats S11) - 5th in heat (1:16.28 - new Irish record and PB), 10th overall
Catherine Walsh and Joanna Hickey (Cycling Individual Pursuit qualification BVI (1-3)) - 5th overall (3:50.515 - new Irish record and PB)
Ellen Keane (Swimming 100m BRS, Heats SB8) - 2nd in heat (1:27.61 - new Irish record and PB), went into final
Sean Heary (Archery Individual Compound Open, Ranking Round) - Advanced to direct elimination phase.
Enda Smyth (Cycling 1km TT Final CP4) - 7th overall (1:16.074)
Amy Kelehan and John Twomey (Sailing Scud18, races 3, 4, 5) - 10th in race 3, 10th in race 4, 10th in race 5 (lying 10th overall)
Paul McCarthy, Paul Ryan and Richard Whealey (Sailing Sonar, races 3, 4, 5) - 12th in race 3, 13th in race 4, 11th in race 5 (lying 11th overall)
Kathleen Reynolds (Table Tennis singles F3, 2nd Pool match) - Lost 3-1 to H Choi (Korea)
Cathal Miller (Cycling 1km TT Final LC1) - 7th overall (1:11.824 - new Irish record and PB)
Kathleen Reynolds (Table Tennis Singles F3, 2nd Pool match) - Lost 3-2 to Y Silva (Cuba). Does not progress to knockout stages
Jonathan Cummings (Swimming 100m BS Final S6) - 8th (1:29.26, new Irish record and PB)
Patrice Dockery (Athletics 400m T53 Round 1) - 5th in heat (1:8.95, did not make final)
Ellen Keane (Swimming 100m BRS Final SB8) - 6th (1:29.72, Irish record)
Today's schedule (all times Irish)
Eilish Byrne (Equestrian Freestyle Grade II - 2:04am)
Michael Delaney and David Peelo (Cycling Sprint Qualification BVI (1-3) - 2:30am; Quarter-final BVI (1-3)* - 6:35am; Semi- final BVI (1-3)* - 7:15am; Final BVI (1-3)* - 8:10am)
David Malone (Swimming 100m BS Heats S8 - 2:43am; 100m BS Final S8* - 11:05am)
Boccia Team (BC1/BC2, 1st Pool match - 6:30am, Round 2* 9:30am)
Football Team (Football 7-a-side pool match, Ireland v Ukraine - 4:15am)
Sean Heary (Archery Individual Compound Open 1/16 Eliminations Matches* - 7am)
Catherine Wayland (Athletics Discus, F32-34/51-53 - 10am start)
Lisa Callaghan (Athletics Javelin, F35-38 - 12:20am)
Michael McKillop (Athletics 800m Final T37* - 12:56am
*Subject to progression through the competition
