By Marcus Uhe
Berwick’s Dayna Crees will return from the Paralympic Games in Paris with a bronze medal in her suitcase after claiming third place in the Women’s Javelin Throw F34 event last week.
Crees, who honed her craft at Casey Cardinia Athletics Club, threw a personal best of 17.65 metres on her first attempt in the early hours of Monday morning, 2 September in Paris to finish third in the event behind a pair of Chinese competitors, with the gold medal winner, Zou Lijuan, setting a new world record in the process.
The 22-year-old was the second-last competitor to participate in the event and trumped her previous best distance that she threw at the 2023 Para-Athletics Championships of 16.84 metres, which at the time set a national record.
In the F34 shot put event the next day, she placed ninth with a throw of 6.3 metres on her fourth attempt, also a new personal best, to cap a wonderful maiden Paralympic Games venture.
Crees, who lives with Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia, throws while seated in a wheelchair due to her disability, and recovered from a rotator cuff injury suffered in January in order to qualify for the Games.
Her athletics journey began with success in running and jumping events before transitioning to the throwing disciplines as a teenager.
Overall, the Athletics team claimed 11 medals, with three golds, two silvers and six bronze.
The Paralympics concluded on Monday morning, 9 September with the closing ceremony, bringing an end to 11 days of competition.
The Australian Paralympic Team claimed 18 gold medals, 17 silver and 28 bronze, including Crees’, to finish ninth on the gold medal tally and eighth for total overall medals.
Six athletes won multiple medals, including swimmers Alexa Leary and Callum Simpson, with medals coming in a total of nine sports; boccia, athletics, canoe, cycling, rowing, swimming, table tennis, triathlon and wheelchair rugby.
The 2028 Paralympic Games will be held in Los Angeles beginning Tuesday 22 August and concluding on Sunday 3 September.
