COCHRANE COMES FROM THE CLOUDS TO GRAB SENSATIONAL SILVER
BEIJING DAY 3: Queensland 17-year-old, Blake Cochrane produced the two fastest swims of his life to become one of the biggest surprise packets of the 2008 Paralympic Games when he claimed a sensational silver medal in the SB 7 100 metres breaststroke.
Going into Beijing, Cochrane was ranked 13 out of the 14 starters in his SB 7 category with a seeded time of 1:32.63. But in the heats at the National Aquatic Centre he managed to slash a remarkable nine seconds off his previous personal best to qualify for the final in 1:23.69.
The Paralympic debutant who was born without fully developed hands or feet, again lowered his new best mark in the final to claim a memorable Paralympic silver in 1:23.36, with Britain's Paralympic legend Sascha Kindred needing a world record swim to steal the gold from the Aussie bolter in 1:22.18 for him to win his third successive Paralympic title.
"It was easy to keep relaxed but I was going over my race in my mind,'' Cochrane said after collecting his silver medal.
And it panned out pretty much as he thought.
"Going through that first 50 metres, I thought I had a bit of a lead on him (Kindred). At the turn I had a good glimpse out of the corner of my eye. I sort of knew he had a good, strong last 25 (metres).
"So I had to hang in there with him and see if I could beat him to the wall but he got me. But I'm still so happy - I still can't believe it.''
Cochrane, from Scarborough north of Brisbane, gave the sport away about two years ago as it was interfering with his school work but he credits the hard work of coach Steve Hadler on his breaststroke in the past eight months for the dramatic drop in his times.
Cochrane felt the sting in his legs over the last 10 metres.
"They were absolutely burning but pain is a temporary thing - glory lasts forever. You've got to push through it and fight to the wall,'' Cochrane said.
Australia was only represented in three of the 16 events on tonight's third session of finals in the colourful "Water Cube."
Rhiannon Oliver (Qld) finished fifth in the 100m breaststroke while Victorians Tarryn McGaw and Samantha Gandolfo were seventh and eighth respectively in the 100m freestyle.
Cochrane takes the Australian swim tally to eight so far - two gold, three silver and three bronze.
2008 PARALYMPICS AUSTRALIAN SWIMMING MEDALLISTS AFTER DAY THREE
Gold (2)
Peter Leek Men's 100 metre butterfly - S8 1:00.95 WR
Matthew Cowdrey Men's 100 metre freestyle - S9 55.30 WR
Silver (3)
Matthew Cowdrey Men's 100 metre butterfly - S9 59.46
Ellie Cole Women's 100 metre butterfly - S9 1:10.92
Blake Cochrane Men's 100 metre breaststroke - SB7 1:23.36
Bronze (3)
Annabelle Williams Women's 100 metre butterfly - S9 1:10.98
Jacqueline Freney Women's 100 metre freestyle - S8 1:08.56
Peter Leek Men's 100 metre freestyle - S8 59.14
Kurt Hanson
Media Manager
Hanson Media Group
* Additional reporting APC Beijing Media Team