Rina Akiyama earns Women’s 100m backstroke gold – 2012 Paralympic Games
Rina Akiyama of Japan earned gold medal of the Women’s 100m backstroke in S11 category on fourth day of the swimming events at the 2012 London Paralympic Games in Aquatics Centre on Sunday, September 2.
The Japanese veteran demonstrated her astonishing skills in the double lap backstroke event and clinched gold medal of the event in an improved Paralympic mark time.
She experienced strong contest from Mary Fisher of New Zealand throughout the race but with her utter determination, she managed to outperform Fisher over the finishing wall for gold medal with a timing of 1 minute and 19.50 seconds.
Her title claiming effort remained 0.12 seconds faster from Fisher, who followed her on the victory stand for silver medal by submitting a time of 1 minute and 19.62 seconds.
Fisher was chased by Cecilia Camellini of Italy, who remained 0.29 seconds away from her and clocked a time of 1 minute and 19.91 seconds for bronze medal.
The Italian swimmer was trailed by Daniela Schulte of Germany, who was just 0.18 seconds slower from her preceding swimmer and settled on the wall as fourth fastest swimmer by clocking a time of 1 minute and 20.09 seconds.
Subsequently, fifth fastest spot of the race was obtained by Maryna Piddubna of Ukraine, who stayed 4.23 seconds apart and transpired on the finishing blockade by submitting a time of 1 minute and 24.32 seconds.
Piddubna was chased by Aine Kelly-Costello of New Zealand, who stayed just a stroke apart and proved her eligibility for sixth best spot of the race by clocking a time of 1 minute and 24.70 seconds.
Seventh position of the event was secured by Olga Sokolova of Russia, who was 0.43 seconds behind and hit the wall with a timing of 1 minute and 25.13 seconds.
Sokolova remained two and a half body lengths ahead of Chikako Ono of Japan, who was unable to upset any of her opponents and tapped the wall with a timing of 1 minute and 27.55 seconds.
Akiyama was pleased with her victory in the event and said that she would try her best to defend her title in future.
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