Mixed fortunes for Irish duo in Beijing
Shelly, from Bagnelstown, was in fine form as he swept past Jose Vaquerizo of Spain 8-2 in the individual Boccia competition.
But there was massive disappointment for Padraic Moran from Bray, who led 4-0 early on against home favourite Wang Yi, but was pipped in a nail biting tie break after the match had ended 5-5.
Earlier, both Shelly and Moran won their pools in the Laoshan Veledrome in Beijing to advance to the quarter-finals, where Shelly won again to seal a place in tomorrow’s semi-finals.
Shelly produced sensational form in his quarter-final storming into an early lead over Vaquerizo, 4-0 after the first end.
He added two points in the second end to bring the score to 6-0, and repeated the dose in the third to climb to 8-0 and put the result beyond doubt. The Spaniard took the fourth end by two points to see it finish 8-2 to the Carlow man. Shelly will contest the semi-final of these Games against Antonio Marques of Portugal.
Afterwards a beaming Shelly said: “I really felt focused from the first end, I knew I was in a very strong position come the second end. I feel in the best form of my life and I’m ready for anyone that will come in the semi-final.”
In the BC1 competition debut 24-year-old Moran was in the form of his life winning both his remaining pool matches to advance to the quarter-final as pool winner against Yi Wang of China.
That quarter-final match was a gripping affair. The pair couldn’t be separated after the four scheduled ‘ends’ (similar to sets) and the contest went to a tie break.
In essence in Boccia the player to get most of their balls closest to the jack wins. With one ball each left in the tie break and Moran closest, the Chinese player threw a perfect last ball to inch Moran’s out of pole position to an explosive cheer by the home crowd.
Moran held his nerve however and with no alternative went for it with his last ball landing a mere centimetre further away from the jack than Wang’s, to exit the competition.
Moran said: “Obviously I’m disappointed but to get to the quarter-finals in my first Paralympics is a massive achievement.”
The earlier success continued in the evening with a new Irish record in the Bird’s Nest Stadium from Garrett Culliton in his discus event.
Elsewhere the 7-a-side football team played out a thrilling encounter but lost out 4-2 to world number two Iran in their opening pool game.
Ireland’s sailors in the Skud and Sonar classes also got their campaigns underway as did Eilish Byrne in the dressage event in Hong Kong.
Table tennis player Kathleen Reynolds saw her first action of these Games, Eimear Breathnach played her second pool game, and Offaly’s Eoin Cleare contested his Shot Putt final in the Bird’s Nest.
On the velodrome, success continued for the Irish with Dublin’s Cathal Miller making his Paralympic debut in the Men’s Individual Pursuit (LC1 Class).
Miller started quickly and maintained this fast pace to clock a stunning new Irish record time of 4.53.969, taking a massive seven seconds off his previous mark.
Tandem pair Michael Delaney and sighted pilot rider David Peelo returned to the track yesterday in the 1km Time Trial (B&VI 1 — 3 Class).
The duo recorded a time of 1.08.593, also a new Irish record, taking one second off their previous best. Impressively this means that all four Irish bikes in action in Beijing have broken an Irish record with several events yet to come.
Laois native Garrett Culliton held the honour of being the first Irish track and field athlete to compete in the infamous Bird’s Nest and did not disappoint. Culliton’s intial three throws in his discus competition (F33/34/52 class) were enough to qualify him for the final where he produced his best ever throw of 17.79 metres to take fifth place overall, and set a new Irish record in the process.
Afterwards Culliton said: “I suppose I can’t ask for any more than a PB; that’s what you try and go out to do in every event. I had six throws over 17metres so it was quite a good series. The air was quite heavy and dead so there was no real carry; maybe another day it might have carried over but I’m happy enough.”
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