PARALYMPIC SWIM TEAM CELEBRATE FIVE MORE MEDALS

Beijing September 12: Australia's Paralympic swimmers had another successful night in the pool and although just missing gold the team picked up an impressive haul of five medals from a possible six finals contested.

The stand outs for the green and gold included a hat trick of silver medals to trio Peter Leek, Matthew Cowdrey and Sarah Bowen while Ellie Cole and Jacqueline Freney added to the tally as they each claimed a bronze medal.  

Peter Leek continued his surreal meet here in Beijing when he won silver in the 400 metre freestyle S8 to take his tally to two gold, three silver and one bronze.  

Leek finished second in a time of 4:31.16 to place behind the world record breaking performance of Britain's, Sam Hynd (4:26.25).  

South Australian teen, Matthew Cowdrey grabbed his fifth medal of the games in one of the races of the Paralympics in the final of the S9 400 metres freestyle.  

Cowdrey and Spain's, Jesus Collado had an incredible stroke for stroke tussle over the eight lap final with the Spaniard just taking the gold in a new world record of 4:17.02, with Cowdrey tantalisingly just 0.26 behind to settle for silver in 4:17.28. 

Defending Paralympic champion, Sarah Bowen also had a nail biting finish to just miss the gold in her favoured 100 metre breaststroke SB 6 class by just 0.52 of a second.  

The Geelong veteran who was born with Achondroplasia dwarfism grabbed Australia's third silver of the night in a time of 1:42.39, just behind Great Britain world record holder, Elizabeth Johnson (1:41.87).  

Further medals on day six were both bronze to Ellie Cole (4:44.60) and Jacqueline Freney (4:57.21) in their respective S9 and S8 400 metres freestyle finals.  

The medals were both the girls second here in Beijing after Cole previously took silver in the 100 butterfly and Freney already grabbed bronze earlier in the meet in the 100 freestyle.  

Australia's Paralympic Swim team has now amassed a total of five gold, eight silver and six bronze medals with three more days of competition still remaining in Beijing.  

2008 PARALYMPICS

AUSTRALIAN SWIMMING MEDALLISTS AFTER DAY SIX  
Gold
Peter Leek                   Men's 100 metre butterfly                  S8        1:00.95 WR  
Matthew Cowdrey      Men's 100 metre freestyle                  S9        55.30 WR  
Katrina Porter             Women's 100 metre backstroke           S7        1:24.30 WR  
Rick Pendleton           Men's 200 metre individual medley   S10        2:12.78 WR  
Matthew Cowdrey      Men's 200 metre individual medley   S9        2:13.60 WR  
Peter Leek              Men's 200 metres individual medley  S8        2:20.92 WR  

Silver
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  
Peter Leek                   Men's 100 metre backstroke               S8        1:07.28  
Peter Leek                  Men's 400 metre freestyle                 S8        4:31.16  
Sarah Bowen             Women's 100 metre breaststroke    SB6     1:42.39  
Matthew Cowdrey    Men's 400 metre freestyle                 S9        4:17.02  
Ben Austin                  Men's 4x100 metre freestyle relay      34PTS 3:53.59
Peter Leek Sam Bramham Matthew Cowdrey  

Bronze
Annabelle Williams     Women's 100 metre butterfly             S9        1:10.98  
Jacqueline Freney        Women's 100 metre freestyle             S8        1:08.56  
Jacqueline Freney       Women's 400 metre freestyle         S8        4:57.21  
Peter Leek                   Men's 100 metre freestyle                  S8        59.14  
Jay Dohnt                    Men's 400 metre freestyle                  S7        4:59.47  
Ellie Cole                    Women's 400 metre freestyle           S9        4:44.60