Paralympics: Hungary’s Luca Ekler breaks own long jump world record twice to claim gold

Hungary's Luca Ekler cemented her status as the world’s number one women’s long jumper T38 by extending her own world record twice to claim gold on Day 7 at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Luca Ekler of Team Hungary celebrates winning the gold medal with new world record after competing in the Women's Long Jump - T38 final on day 7 of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 31, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo: Getty Images)
Luca Ekler of Team Hungary celebrates winning the gold medal with new world record after competing in the Women's Long Jump - T38 final on day 7 of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 31, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo: Getty Images)

From the opening jump, the world and three-time European champion made her intentions clear with a world record-breaking leap of 5.60m. By her third attempt she had stretched this to 5.63m, and there was no looking back for her at the Olympic Stadium.

Tatyana McFadden's dominance in the Paralympic 1500m wheelchair race was ended on Tuesday (August 31), as the American was beaten into fifth in the 1500m T54 final, after a searing race in a stacked field. China's Zhou Zhaoqian emerged victorious with a personal best time of 3:27.63 while Swiss speedster Manuela Schaer won silver in 3:28.01 and Australia's Madison de Rozario claimed bronze in 3:28.24.

USA’s Sam Grewe turned the tables on India's Mariyappan Thangavelu to take the men's high jump T63 title on Day 7 of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. In a reversal of the final in Rio 2016, the 23-year-old fought off a tough challenge from the defending Paralympic champion to finish on top in 1.88m.

Charles-Antoine Kouakou won the gold in the Men’s 400m T20 at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. The medal is the sixth gold for the French delegation at the Tokyo 2020 Games.

Mexico’s Rodolfo Chessani Garcia came away with gold in the men's 400m T38 final whilst Venezuela's Linda Patricia Perez Lopez did the same in the women's 100m - T11.

Marlene van Gansewinkel clinched gold in the women's 200m T64 finals at the Olympic Stadium.

Marlene van Gansewinkel of Team Netherlands celebrates winning the women’s 200m T64 gold medal at Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games on August 31, 2021. (Photo: Getty)

The gold rush continued with Spain's Adiaratou Iglesias Forneiro in the women's 100m T13, followed by another Venezuelan great Lisbeli Marina Vera Andrade in the women's 100m T47.

USA's Breanna Clark broke out into a dance when she claimed victory in the women's 400m T20 event. The athlete was ecstatic after crossing the finish line at 55.18, breaking her own world record which she set three years ago.

Swimming

Ukraine's Maksym Krypak defeated close rival Stefano Raimondi of Italy in the men's 100m butterfly S10 event in a world record time on Tuesday. The swimmer is now a six-time Paralympic champion alongside his five world titles and 10 European titles.

New Zealand's para swimming star Sophie Pascoe finally won gold at Tokyo 2020. After taking bronze in 100m backstroke S9 and silver in the 100m breaststroke S9 bronze, she finally completed that hunt for gold by winning the 100m freestyle S9 on August 31 touching the wall at 1:02.37, just 0.40 seconds ahead of Spain's Sarai Gascon. Mariana Ribeiro of Brazil took bronze after clocking in at 1:03.39.

The other gold medal winners of the swimming event on Tuesday included RPC – Men’s 4x100m freestyle relay; Salei Raman (Azerbaijan) – Men’s 100m freestyle S12; Arnulfo Castorena (Mexico) – Men’s 50m breaststroke SB2; Andrei Nikolav (RPC) – Men’s 400m freestyle S8; Giulia Terzi (Italy) – Women’s 100m freestyle S7; Maria Carolina Gomes Santiago (Brazil) – Women’s 100m freestyle S12; Mikaela Jenkins (USA) – Women’s 100m butterfly; Marta Fernandez Infante – Women’s 50m breaststroke SB3; Valeriia Shabalina (RPC) – Women’s 200m individual medley SM14; and Morgan Stickney (USA) – Women’s 400m freestyle S8.

Top 15 in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic medal count as of 10pm on August 31.

Tokyo 2020