Curtis McGrath has completed a gold medal three-peat, but his heart and mind aren't in Paris.
McGrath secured his third consecutive men's kayak single 200m KL2 gold medal with ease overnight, finishing his race a length ahead of his next opponent.
But instead of spending the last few months deep in preparation, McGrath's life has been struck with a major disruption following the birth of his son Monty.
Following his birth in July he immediately needed open heart surgery and just a few short weeks later McGrath was forced to leave for Paris.
After earning gold in both Tokyo and Rio the 36-year-old dedicated the three-peat win to his family.
The new dad was emotional speaking after his win reflecting on leaving his family just week's after Monty's birth.
"That was one of the hardest goodbyes I've ever had to do, to come over here for this prep and then into the Games," McGrath said.
"It has been difficult, but at the same time, putting it all together and producing a result, I'm super stoked."
With his wife and son's names on his boat, McGrath has carried them with him throughout his Paralympic campaign.
Reflecting on the agonising choice to head to Paris and leave his family at home, McGrath said it's a reminder that athletes are so much more than just their sports.
"It's been hard so it's important that I did it for them too," he said.
"The goodbye that we had on the tenth of August was one of the hardest I've ever had to do.
"We're just out here doing sport so it's not actually that important but when we're representing people and countries and our family members it means more."
The former solider lost both his legs after stepping on a landmine in Afghanistan in 2012.
Five of the soldiers who rescued him were alongside his parents in Paris.
"They're the ones who carried my stretcher, putting the tourniquets on and literally saving my life," he said.
"They're all there and were part of my journey, recovery and in the traumatic moment of that blast they were with me, and they're still here supporting me."
McGrath will be back in action for the final time in Paris on Sunday night when he contests the VL3 va'a single 200m.
He's anticipating an even tougher competition when they hit the water, and has already announced it will be his last race in the va'a competition.
Pre-event letters put Turner in the mindframe
Wise words in letters from his coach have made all the difference for James Turner as he steals his second gold medal in Paris.
With just 20 metres to run in the 100m final Turner was deep in the pack but a blistering finish pushed him ahead to equal the Paralympic record.
The finish was so tight it took a massive 15 seconds for the race results to be finalised, an anxious wait for the Aussie.
"I was a bit worried there for a second," Turner said.
"I thought, 'I've got to pull something out of my pocket'. That was it."
The Canberran credited reading letters from coach Iryna Dvoskina before his events with bringing him the calm he needs to perform.
After a disappointing silver medal in the 100m event in Tokyo, not even a bout of glandular fever could hold him back.
"Redemption for me, but also vindication for my coach, Iryna... This is her 72nd major champs medal for Australia since 2003," Turner said.
"She's so wonderful, she dedicates her whole life to athletics.
"She sent me her usual letter (this morning). She said that I've done all the work, the track will suit me and she said she knows I can do it."
Paris pool a far cry from the dam at home
Col Pearse has gone from swimming laps in his family farm's dam to his first Paralympic medal in style.
The 21-year-old Echuca native moved away from home at just 14 to pursue elite swimming but COVID-19 lockdowns forced him home and away from the pool.
Enter mum, and the 'Pearse Aquatic Centre'.
Lap after lap alone in the muddy farm dam has paid off as he sailed home through the pristine water at Paris La Defense Arena for silver in the SM10 men's 200m individual medley.
Speaking after his race the Victoria was emotional reflecting on what it's taken to get to Paris.
"I think for every Australian back home living with a disability, coming from the middle of nowhere in Australia, we tend to think they'll never go far in life," Pearse said.
"That swim there, it really shows it doesn't matter where you come from or who you are, if you've got a dream it's achievable.
"Even to young Aussie kids without a disability, be patient, love who you are, accept who you are, and the good things will come your way."
After disappointment earlier in the Games when he finished fourth in the 200m butterfly, silver was extra sweet.
"I've worked my arse off to get here," Pearse said.
"I moved away from home at 14 to pursue this goal of making the Paralympics, so to be able to walk away with some silverware just means the world."
Pearse had his Right foot amputated when he was two-years-old after an accident involving a ride on mower.
The toddler had evaded his parents and made it from the house into their yard, where his dad riding the lawn mower turned a corner and sliced open his foot.
He wasn't the only medal in the pool on the final day of competition, with the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay 34 points team of Rowan Crothers, Alexa Leary, Chloe Osborn and Callum Simpson securing silver also.
Also in action on the final day
Meanwhile across Paris Australian athletes continued to add to the medal tally on the last day of events.
In the canoeing Dylan Littlehales secured silver in the men's kayak single 200m KL3 and Susan Seipel returns with bronze after the women's va'a single 200m VL2.
At Stade de France Rheed McCracken won bronze in the T34 800m and Reece Langdon bronze in the men's T38 1500m.
And finishing the table tennis competition Li Na Lei and Lin Ma won bronze in their respective brackets.
As the 2024 Paralympic Games wrap up there are just a handful of events to come but there are still Aussies in action.
From 4pm Madison de Rozario will compete in the T54 women's marathon.
On the water Susan Seipel is in the kayak single 200m KL2 semi finals from 6pm and Curtis McGrath will be back paddling in the va'a final at 8:40pm.
And to finish Australia's campaign in Paris Hani Watson has made the over 84kg women's powerlifting final to begin at 10pm.
Medal tally
China has been an unstoppable force this Paralympic Games and sit well ahead of the pack with a whopping 94 gold medals among their bag of 216.
Australia is ranked ninth overall with 18 gold, 16 silver and 28 bronze for a total of 62 medals.
Day 9: 'I love you, dad': how tragedy inspired Hance to world record gold
Ben Hance touched the wall to win backstroke gold and pointed to the heavens.
"I love you,dad," he whispered.
Hance's father Tony died in March. He'd already bought tickets to watch his son swim. He was just 55.
"This has been the worst year of my life, by far," Hance said after the race.
"There's my dad dying, for sure," he said when asked why, "and there's also other things I won't mention on camera that happened to me that could have ruined my life, as well.
"I've never dealt with death, and I just wanted to win the gold medal for him."
Hance set a world record of 56.62sec in the heat and then led the S14 100m backstroke final from start to finish, becoming the first man ever to win the gold back to back.
"I was just thanking my father for everything he's done," he said.
"He always loved my backstroke and I'm glad I gave him a gold medal."
Hance's gold was a highlight in a massive night at La Defense Arena pool. Australia won seven medals overall.
Seventeen-year-old Callum Simpson surprised everyone by winning the men's S8 100m freestyle in 58.23sec. Sport runs through his blood. His father Nigel captained the England rugby 7s team for many years and his brother Henry is away representing Australia in surf life saving.
Born with microdeletion syndrome, a genetic disorder which causes a severe learning delay and physical flow on effects, including causing his left and right side not to work in unison, his parents took him to the pool.
"It's everything I dreamed of and I finally had my dream come true," he said after the race.
"It's amazing, it honestly is, and I wouldn't be here without my family, I'm so grateful for everyone in my corner.
"I'm only just starting and I can't wait to see what's next."
Tim Hodge capped off a wonderful Games. He won silver in the men's S9 100m butterfly, adding to his golds from the 200m individual medley and mixed 4x100m medley relay (34 points).
"It was an absolutely insane race," Hodge said.
"I was hoping to go just under the minute. I was happy with this swim and now I have the chance to kind of soak it all in.
"Now that I finished racing for this meet, I'm happy with my results. I can walk away with a few medals, and it's incredible."
He's called for more funding for para-sport. While his haul will be a welcome payday, thanks to a funding agreement put in place by Sports Minister Annika Wells, he knows many other para-athletes aren't in the same position.
"The medal bonuses and the financial support that Paralympians are receiving now is just incredible," Hodge said.
"It really gives us the opportunity to train and perform as our Olympic peers do, and not have to worry as much about making rent and making sure that I have a suit for the next competition that's not two years old."
"While the Olympics is the epitome of human excellence, the Paralympics is the epitome of human resilience, and for people at home, they can relate [to that].
"They might see someone on the TV missing a leg or an arm or any other number of conditions, and they go, 'Well, they can do that. Why can't I?'."
To wrap up the night there was a quartet of bronze to Lewis Bishop (men's S9 100m butterfly); Tom Gallagher (men's S10 100m backstroke); Emily Beecroft (women's S9 100m butterfly); and Rachael Watson (women's S4 50m freestyle).
And this also happened
Elsewhere flag bearer Curtis McGrath qualified for finals later today. He set a Paralympic record in the va'a single 200m VL3 and won his kayak single 200m KL2 heat.
The Rollers leave Paris in fifth place in the men's wheelchair basketball, beating the Netherlands in the fifth-sixth playoff 82-75.
Lina Lei has her eye on the gold, advancing to the semi-finals of the women's S9 singles table tennis.
At Stade de France, Australian para athlete Annabelle Colman was fourth in the women's T20 1500m final, running a personal best of 4min 31.54sec to set an Oceania record.
Rhiannon Clarke heads to the women's T38 400m final and 16-year-old Teyala Blacksmith jumped a PB to finish ninth in the final of the women's T20 final.
In the women's para cycling C4-5 road race, Alana Forster (seventh), Emily Petricola (11th) and Meg Lemon (12th) finished outside the medals.
Alistair Donohoe was sixth in the men's event and teammate Korey Boddington was unable to finish, having been involved in a collision early in the race.
Medal tally update
We're sitting solid in ninth place on the medal tally at the end of Day 9. We've won 16 gold, 13 silver and 23 bronze for a total of 52 medals.
China surges ahead with 83 gold, in its amazing total of 188. Great Britain, the USA, the Netherlands and Italy round out the top five.
Day 8: Supermum Low takes flight to set a world record and win gold
Vanessa Low reckons motherhood is her superpower and with her young son Matteo watching from the stands of Stade de France she took flight.
She set a new world record of 5.45m in the T63 long jump, on her first jump. She jumped the exact same distance with her fifth jump, and after she fouled her final jump she rushed to the fence where her husband and coach Scott Reardon and Matteo were waiting.
Low and Reardon embraced, there were tears of joy, little Matteo was just taking it all in. He'll be too young to remember what his mother achieved in Paris but memories were made.
"Matteo's little face lights up when he sees me run past and he's part of it and he enjoys it so much and ... I wouldn't be there today without him there," Low said after the event.
"I sometimes feel a little bit selfish, trying to pursue this big dream of mine and always having to put some of my family life on hold, but I have an army around me and I couldn't do it without any of them."
It was Low's fourth Paralympics, she won gold for Germany in Rio before switching her allegiances to Australia where she defended her medal in Tokyo. She knew her competing days weren't over but she was keen to start a family. Matteo was born in 2022.
"I wasn't sure after Tokyo, whether I could balance family life and being an athlete," Low told Nine.
"At first [motherhood] was an incredibly difficult and humbling experience and I thought while it was really great, what I was doing in sport, there was this little baby that had its own plans and was always there to humble you."
Low and Reardon are based in Canberra. Reardon is considered one of Australia's greatest ever Paralympians, with a gold medal from Rio and a silver from Tokyo, and multiple world championship titles under his belt. He famously learned to walk again in a week and a half, after an accident on the family farm in Temora severed his right leg when he was 12.
But on Friday morning, he was first and foremost a proud husband and father and coach.
"To see her give birth to Matteo two years ago, come back to world champs a year later and then do that tonight is pretty incredible," Reardon told Nine.
"To see her do five legal jumps which were all over anything the other competitors did is just a proud moment.
"My heart rate was a 120 before that first jump but it took some of the pressure off and we knew we were in for a good day."
Parker claims another gold
Lauren Parker wasn't going to let a stomach upset get in the way of her medal dreams. She added to her Paris collection by dominating the women's h1-4 cycling road race, finishing the 28.4km course in 52min 4sec, 4min 11sec ahead of reigning Paralympic champion Jennette Janson.
She revealed she's been ill since Monday's triathlon where she swallowed some water during the swim leg in the Seine on her way to the gold medal.
"Before the time trial and again today, I wasn't feeling my best," Parker said.
"I was quite nauseous and stuff like that.
"It was from the river swim in the triathlon, but I chose to push that aside, I had a job to do. I just got it done."
The water quality of the Seine has been a talking point since Paris was awarded both the Olympics and the Paralympics. In both Games, events have been delayed until organisers deemed it safe.
But Parker put that all aside. In 2017, she was told she would never be an athlete again after she suffered a broken back, spinal-cord damage, a broken shoulder, four broken ribs, a punctured lung and a shattered pelvis when she crashed in training for the Ironman Australia triathlon. She called on all that resilience on the road race couse at Clichy-sous-Bois.
"It worked to my strengths because I love a hilly course, I love a challenging course, and I treated it just like a time trial," Parker said after the race.
She broke clear on the first climb after six kilometres and was a minute and a half ahead at the halfway mark.
"I knew I had to stay away from my competitors and leave it all out there on course so I just went hard from start to finish."
Torrential rain early in the day caused confusion as officials firstly delayed the start by an hour, then advised the race would be cut to one lap before finally confirming only minutes before the start that it would remain at two laps.
"I'm used to things changing quite suddenly and postponements and things like that," Parker said.
"You are just forced to adapt and you can only control what you can control and get on with it."
With two gold and a silver in her luggage, Parker is now wondering what's next.
"I couldn't be more pleased, it's very special," Parker said.
"I've been all focused towards Paris so I know I'm going to have some downtime after Paris.
"I've got a couple more races left in a year, but then some downtime, and then focus on what life may bring after that.
"There'll be some more racing, I know that but I definitely want to stay in sport and set new goals."
'You've got no-one to chase'
No one was going to catch reigning world record holder Tim Hodge in the men's SM9 200m individual medley.
He swam a strong opening butterfly leg and held the lead throughout, setting a new Paralympic record of 2min 13.31sec.
"The hard thing with being world champion, world record holder, is that you've got no-one to chase," Hodge told Nine.
"So everything you've got to do to improve is stuff that people have never done before.
"You've got to do stuff that people either can't do or won't do, and you've got to do it day in and day out to stay on top."
It was his second gold medal in Paris, after the mixed 100m medley relay (34 points) gold on day five in Paris,
"It's still a bit of a pinch me moment, it's just it's been so long in the making," he said.
"My coach and I work so, so hard at this."
Table tennis bronze
Samuel von Einem continued Australia's great run in the table tennis, grabbing a bronze medal in the men's MS11 singles table tennis.
He went down to Korea's Gi Tae Kim 11-5, 8-11, 11-9, 15-13 but both losing semi-finallists are awarded bronze medals.
"He was switched on. He played very well. I felt like he was very well prepared. He took on my serve quite well," Von Einem said after his match.
Medal tally
Australia's ninth on the medal tally at the end of Day 8. We've won 14 gold, 12 silver and 19 bronze for a total of 45 medals.
China surges ahead with 74 gold, in their amazing total of 166. Great Britain, the USA, the Netherlands and France round out the top five.
