17.09.2008 – Graham Croker
Sydney University’s Angie Ballard will return from the Beijing Paralympic Games with a silver medal after the Australian 4x100m women’s relay team finished second to China.
Ballard, a Sydney University Sports Scholarship holder, teamed with Madison de Rozario, Christie Dawes and Jemima Moore, to secure second place in 1:01.91 minutes in the T53/54 classification final. The Chinese team had to run a world record time to win gold.
Earlier in the Games, Ballard qualified for the finals of four individual track events, finishing 5th in the 100m, 7th in the 200m, 7th in the 400m and 6th in the 800m.
She can add the relay silver medal to the bronze she won in the 100m at the Athens Paralympic Games and the gold medal she won in the 100m at the 2002 IPC World Championships.
Sydney University’s other representative at the Beijing Games, Sarah Stewart, will also be returning home with a medal.
Stewart shot several crucial baskets as the Australian women’s wheelchair basketball team defeated Japan 53-47 in the bronze medal play-off.
The Sydney University Sports Scholarship holder can add a bronze medal to the silver she won at the 2004 Athens Paralympics.
