University of Sydney swimmer Prue Watt stole the show on the final weekend of the London 2012 Paralympics, winning gold, as University of Sydney athletes finished their collective Paralympic campaigns with an impressive haul of seven medals – the same number as our Olympians.
Watt’s gold came in the women’s SB13 100m breaststroke on the final day of the Paralympic swimming competition. Qualifying fastest for the final with an Oceania record of 1:20.36, Watt then lowered that mark again to clock 1:19.19 and secure her maiden Paralympic gold medal at her second Paralympic Games.
Watt – a science student, SUSF Elite Athlete Program (EAP) scholarship holder and Sydney Uni Swim Club member – also finished fifth in the women’s SM13 200m individual medley over the weekend.
Fellow Sydney Uni Swim Club member Sarah Rose produced her best swim of the meet, clocking a personal best time of 40.43, as well as breaking the Oceania and Australian record, as she finished sixth in the women’s S6 50m butterfly.
Out of the water and onto the track, University of Sydney graduate and former EAP scholarship holder Angela Ballard won silver in the women’s T53 400m, her third medal from the London Games and her fifth Paralympic medal in her fourth Games.
The Australian women’s wheelchair basketball team were unable to claim gold after battling Germany valiantly, before being edged 58-44 on Saturday morning. University of Sydney representatives Katie Hill and Sarah Stewart were part of the silver medal winning team that went one medal better than Beijing four years ago.
University of Sydney’s Paralympic athletes finished with one gold, four silver and two bronze medals.
University of Sydney athletes who won medals at the 2012 London Paralympic Games:
Prue Watt – Gold – 100m Women’s Breaststroke SB13
Prue Watt – Bronze – 50m Women’s Freestyle S13
Angela Ballard – Silver – 200m Women’s T53 Track
Angela Ballard – Silver – 400m Women’s T53 Track
Angela Ballard – Bronze –100m Women’s T53 Track
Sarah Stewart – Silver – Wheelchair Basketball Women
Katie Hill – Silver – Wheelchair Basketball Women
This follows on from our Olympians who picked up one gold, three silver and three bronze.
University of Sydney athletes who won medals at the 2012 London Olympic Games:
Murray Stewart – Gold – Kayak Sprint Men’s K4 1000m
Jessica Fox – Silver – Kayak Slalom Women’s K1
Brooke Pratley – Silver – Rowing Women’s Double Sculls
Olivia Price – Silver – Sailing Women’s Elliott 6m
Matthew Butturini – Bronze – Hockey Men
Kaarle McCulloch – Bronze – Track Cycling Women’s Team Sprint
Belinda Snell – Bronze – Basketball Women
