medal. Pat thor son gives Australia
the second gold medal in the
pool.
pool. The men's 100m backstroke S1
final now.
final now. The number of athletes is under
8, there is no need for
preliminaries, this is one of
the events that we didn't have
a morning heat for or a heat
session.
session. This is an event a long-time
dominated by Talai of Belarus
who is in lane 1.
The 51-year-old Colombian,
Rojas goes in lane 7.
And he swam in Rio but has been
competing for the last eight
years on the international
stage.
stage. He goes in 7.
Da Silva will go in lane 2 for
Brazil.
Brazil. The man who took up the sport
in 2015.
in 2015. From Greece, Dimitrios
Karypidis goes in lane 6 for
this final.
this final. Silver medallist from 2016
behind, Francesco Bettella, the
fastest time in the world he
set in Madeira.
Anton Kol will be hoping to
continue the pedigree that was
set forth by the world record
Holder.
Holder. But the second fastest swimmer
in the world this year is the
European silver medallist, Iyad
Shalabi of Israel.
And there are many that fancy
his chances of a gold medal in
this the men's 100 backstroke
S1.
S1. There are few that would be
able to challenge his world
record of 208:01.
Making his way to the side of
the pool.
the pool. The athletes in the lower
classifications, most notably
are going to be swimming by
starting in the pool, not only
in the backstrokes, but in
various other strokes, usually
it's the backstroke that is the
only stroke in which the
swimmers will start in the
pool.
pool. Having been called to the pool
deck and introduced separately,
we are about to go up against
one another for gold, silver
and bronze.
There are some swimmers who have no control to keep
themselves up against the wall.
They have assistance.
They are not allowed to
communicate with them and give
them any sort of force or push
off the wall.
But into the final we go then.
This is the men's 100m
backstroke S1.
backstroke S1. And effectively, after the
retirement of the swimmer who
will accept the baton, we are
wondering who will take the
mantle.
mantle. It's these three who find
themselves out in front at 25m.
>> So all of these swimmers
required assistantance and you
mentioned how the helper really
can't provide them or speak to
them.
them. They can't show any emotion.
So as soon as you enter into
the room, the communication
between the athlete and the
assistant is nothing, they
can't communicate at all,
otherwise the assistant will be
asked to leave.
The swimmers here, you will
see, they are almost all using
a double arm backstroke.
This is important in the lower
classification so the S1 means
the swimmers have the most
severe impairment and they are
using the double arm backstroke
because it creates stability.
They can't do a shoulder roll
which requires rotation and by
using a double arm backstroke
they're able to maximise their
pull under the water.
They don't have the windmill
stroke but have the advantage
of using two arms at once and
pulling more water which is the
most effective way to move
across the pool because they
are effectively dragging their
lower half behind them.
Makrodimitris Karypidis medaled
at the World Championships and
has recently been contesting
medals last year in the
European Championships.
European Championships. The question at the moment is
whether or not Shalabi is going
to be holding on.
He's got a lead.
Kol is coming back strong.
Anton Kol is making up some
room.
room. Has he got enough time in the
water to be able to catch up to
Shalabi who is fading quickly.
Can Shalabi hold on.
The Israeli desperate to crawl
to the wall.
Posts a 228:04, which is a
fantastic swim from the Israeli
swimmer, the European silver
medallist, might have been the
second fastest here in the
world over this distance but
he's fastest in the pool right
here right now and at Tokyo
2020, he's a goad medallist
ahead of Kol, the Ukrainian
with a fantastic comeback to
set up a rather dramatic touch
for the gold medal.
He claims the silver and bronze
going to Bettella of Italy.
He claims another international
medal.
medal. Quite fantastic from Bettella.
Talai of Belarus and Rojas
still in the pool making their
way to the wall.
But what a swim from Shalabi
and what a touch.
Really not sure whether Shalabi
or Kol will be first to the
wall, but a fantastic event.
Italy's Francesco Bettella ends
up with a bronze.
Talai being welcomed home by
the host of fellow athletes.
And technical staff who sit in
the arena.
the arena. They have crowd support.
A new generation has begun in
the S1.
the S1. Certainly in this backstroke
event, Shalabi, Anton Kol, 228
for Anton Kol not far off the
winning time.
winning time. 228:29 the winning time, a
quarter of a second behind
Shalabi, and Bettella with the
bronze.
bronze. Here is the start for Shalabi.
He doesn't get anything off the
wall at all.
And he immediately goes into
the double arm backstroke.
Now, here for the S1, which is
surprising, because most of the
time the swimmers are spread
out and they are not that close
together.
together. But here for one of the first
times I have seen it in the
lower classes, especially in
the S1, you had Talai, Shalabi
and Kol together.
Shalabi and Kol, you can't tell
who is in first, virtually.
They were very close.
Excellent swim by Shalabi.
>> Quite remarkable.
The man who is the subject of a
documentary swimming against
the current is now a Paralympic
champion.