Agony for emotional Ellen Keane as she narrowly misses bronze in Paralympic final

Ellen Keane of Ireland reacts after finishing fourth in the Women's 100m Breaststroke SB8 Final. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Agony followed earlier ecstasy. No second Irish medal on this second evening of pool action in Paris. Ellen Keane’s attempts to follow Roísín Ní Riain onto the podium fell short by two tenths of a second.

A gutting fourth. The goodbye fourth the 29-year-old did not want. Bronze in this event in Rio and gold in Tokyo, the target was to retire with a third Paralympic podium. High performance sport, in this instance, refused to cooperate.

Keane was third for around 80 or so metres of the S8 100m breaststroke final. But throughout the second half of the race, it was clear a threat lurked over in Lane One.

Russia’s Viktoriia Ishchiulova, a neutral paralympic athlete for these Games, was fourth in her heat this morning and advanced seventh to the final. She wasn’t meant to contend. Her 1:26.96 heat time was almost two and a half seconds slower than Keane’s. And yet here she was, threatening to ruin Keane’s retirement medal dance.

Too close to call in real time, the electronic bard confirmed Ishchiulova had went and ruined Keane's last medal shot. She touched in 1:24.50, ahead of the Irish woman’s 1:24.69. Keane’s time was a tenth of a second slower than her heat swim.

Gold went to Spain’s 16-year-old Anastasiya Dmytriv in 1:19.75, Britain’s Brock Whiston claiming silver in 1:21.04.

Keane kept her game face on for as much of the post-race chat as she could manage. She smiled and said she could have given no more.

“If I got out of the water and I still had energy and still was able to walk, I think I would be annoyed at myself, but there is nothing more I could have done there. I gave it my all and really tried. I obviously would have loved to have made the podium on my last games but it just wasn't to be.” 

The smile could not be sustained. The tears arrived.

“I have had a great career. I love the Paralympic Games and everything that it is,” she said, her voice breaking, “so I just want to enjoy being here, and the fact that my family and friends are here is really special.

“I am probably going to go cry now.” 

Sport, if we didn’t need reminding, can be cruel.