Six New Zealand Para athletes compete across four sports on day nine of the Paralympics with medals up for grabs in both swimming and track and field events.
New Zealand has seven medals (four silver, three bronze) so far at the Paris Paralympics, but are yet to take home a gold.
There are three events where Kiwi athletes have the potential to pick up a medal, with all eyes turning to Stade de France as Anna Grimaldi competes in the women's T47 long jump final Friday evening NZT.
Now competing in her third Paralympic Games, Grimaldi has already picked up one medal in Paris, after she finished third in the women's 100m T47 final earlier this week.
Grimaldi is the defending champion in this event as she claimed gold medals in both Tokyo and Rio. She set a Paralympic Record for the T46/47 class with a jump of 5.74m at the last Games.
The 27-year-old comes into the event off the back of a silver medal in the long jump T47 event at the Kobe Para Athletics World Championships in May of this year. She was also one of New Zealand's flag-bearers at the opening ceremony.
Holly Robinson threw 11.88m to secure third position and take home the bronze medal (Source: TVNZ)
Holly Robinson also has a bronze medal at the Paris Games which she achieved in the women’s shot put F46 with a throw of 11.88m. Similarly to Grimaldi, Robinson is back to defend her Paralympic title in her specialist event, the women’s javelin F46. Robinson's final is scheduled for early Saturday morning NZT.
Also featuring in Para athletics action is men’s 400m T36 silver medallist Will Stedman, who competes in the heats of the men’s 100m T36.
Para swimmer Cam Leslie is back in action in the pool and will be chasing his third final appearance at Paris 2024 in the men’s 50m freestyle S4.
At the Paris Games so far, Leslie finished seventh in the men's 100m freestyle S4 final and eighth in the men's 200m freestyle S4 final.
Day nine will also see the first appearance at the Games for two Para canoe paddlers at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium.
Scott Martlew competes in the men’s 200m KL2 heat and later in the men’s 200m VL3 alongside fellow Kiwi paddler Peter Cowan.
Action on day nine was set to start with Para cyclist Nicole Murray competing in the women's C4-5 road race, but she opted to pull out of the event due to illness. Earlier at the Paris Games, Murray picked up a bronze medal in the C5 3000m individual pursuit.
Watch the Paralympics live on TVNZ+ and TVNZ1 from August 29-September 9.
Paralympians in action - Friday, September 6
8pm
Para Athletics: Anna Grimaldi in Women's T47 Long Jump Final at Stade de France
8:10pm
Para Canoe: Scott Martlew in Men's KL2 200m Heats at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium
9:10pm
Para Swimming: Cam Leslie in Men's 50m Freestyle S4 Heats at Paris La Defense Arena
10:05pm
Para Canoe: Peter Cowan in Men's VL3 200m Heats at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium
Para Canoe: Scott Martlew in Men's VL3 200m Heats at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium
Saturday, September 7
4:55am
Para Athletics: Holly Robinson in Women's F46 Javelin Final at Stade de France
5:40am
Para Swimming: Cam Leslie in Men's 50m Freestyle S4 Final at Paris La Defense Arena (potential)
6:37am
Para Athletics: Will Stedman in Men's T36 100m Heats at Stade de France
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