UPDATED 14.20
DARRAGH McDONALD HAS qualified for the 400m freestyle S6 final at the Paralympics in London.
The Irish swimmer won his heat in a time of 5:02.38, and will swim in the final at 5.44pm.
The teenager, who hails from Gorey in Wexford, was a silver medallist in Beijing and went into these Games as one of the favourites for a medal.
Speaking after Saturday’s race, McDonald said:
“I was trying to get a time good enough for the top three lanes for the final tonight, I was holding back a bit just to have that little bit more for the final so there’s plenty more left in me for tonight”.
Another Irish teenager, James Scully, was the sixth qualifier from eight for the men’s 200m freestyle S5.
“(the race) felt really strong,” said Scully, “it’s the strongest I’ve felt ever really.
“It was slightly slower than my PB but I’m really happy with that, it’s the first time I’ve gone under three minutes this year, hopefully I can pick up some positives from this, fix some things and go faster”.
The 18-year-old from County Meath finished third in his heat in a time of 2:57.36, and swims in the final this evening at 6.51pm.
-Additional reporting Sean Farrell
