Anna Grimaldi during the women's T47 long jump final at the Paris Paralympics. Photo: Getty Images
New Zealand have fallen achingly short of adding to their medal tally at the Paralympics - producing a handful of near misses in Paris.
Flagbearers Anna Grimaldi and Cameron Leslie finished fourth in their respective events - coming closest to adding to New Zealand's medal tally which remains at four silver medals and three bronze with two days of competition remaining.
On Friday night, two-time defending champion Grimaldi was just one centimetre off bronze in the women's T47 long jump.
And this morning experienced swimmer Leslie missed a podium place by only 0.13 seconds in the men's S4 freestyle final.
Another who came up just short was defending champion Holly Robinson in the women's F46 javelin, who finished sixth despite throwing a season's best distance and later revealed it will be her last javelin competition.
Elsewhere, there were positive qualifying displays from track sprinter Will Stedman and para-canoeists Scott Martlew and Peter Cowan.
Grimaldi just short
The results for para-athletes Grimaldi and Robinson were particularly hard to take in what were their respective specialist events, with the pair having snared bronze medals earlier in the Games in the 100m and shot put respectively.
Anna Grimaldi (NZL) competes in the Women's Long Jump T47 at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo Stadium, Tokyo, Japan on 3rd September 2021. Copyright photo: Dave Holland / Canadian Paralympic Committee. Photo: Dave Holland
Grimaldi produced a best jump of 5.76m but was beaten home by three athletes who all cleared personal bests, including Colombian world champion Kiara Rodriguez, who won with 6.05m,
The Dunedin-based New Zealander - who tasted glory at Rio and Tokyo - was sitting in the bronze position until Denmark's Bjoerk Noerremark jumped 5.76m in the final round.
"I'm disappointed in the display I put on, I know I am better than that and I train to be able to handle situations like that," Grimaldi said.
"I was really nervous. I had a good first jump but that foul (in round one) made me more nervous. If I had that 5.75m in my first round it might have calmed my nerves enough to be able to build on it, but I wasn't able to today."
Robinson ends javelin career
Robinson's buildup was been affected by elbow surgery last year and she admits she didn't find her best form in what was her final javelin competititon, 12 years after her Paralympic debut in London.
Holly Robinson at the Tokyo Olympics Photo: photosport
"I am really proud of how I attacked today's performance in terms of my mindset and enjoying the competition, but I'm disappointed with the distance and not defending my title, so it is a mix of emotions for me," said Robinson, who won silver in Rio and gold at Tokyo.
"This will be my last ever javelin competition. I've done this for many years, but my body is ready to not be throwing javelin anymore. Reflecting on the last 12 years since London 2012 I am hugely proud of what I achieved.
"My body is getting older I've had elbow surgery. I thought I might be lucky today and get one away, but I wasn't lucky. That's sport. It was a great competition one of the best in our class for a long time which was exciting. I can't wait to see the future of this event."
Robinson's best throw of 39.03m came in the opening round but was eclipsed by others, including Naibys Daniela Marillo Gil of Venezuela who secured gold with a Paralympic record throw of 43.77m.
Leslie just misses podium
Three-time Paralympic gold medallist Cameron Leslie produced season's best time in his freestyle final which was won in a world record time of 35.61 seconds by Canadian teenager Sebastian Massabie.
Cameron Leslie Photo: Supplied: International Paralympic Committee Facebook
Takayuki Suzuki of Japan and Ami Omer Dadaon of Israel both narrowly denied a podium spot for Leslie, who was philosophical.
"This week has been hard, but I am proud of the two swims I've had (in the Men's 50m Freestyle S4). They were very respectable times for me, and so long as I doing myself proud, I have nothing to be disappointed about," said Leslie, who is still to contest the S4 50m backstroke in Paris.
"It was super close to a personal best and not forgetting I am 34 years old, and to set personal bests at that age is not easy."
Promising displays
Men's 400m T36 silver medallist Will Stedman booked his place for the final of the Men's 100m, coming within 0.01 of his national record in his first round heat.
William Stedman of New Zealand on his way to silver in the Men's 400m T36 Final at the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games at Stade de France. Photo: Getty Images
His time of 12.41 seconds placed Stedman fourth in his heat and sixth quickest heading into the final on Saturday night.
Martlew and Cowan impressed in their first para-canoeing outings of the Games at the Varies-sur-Marne Stadium.
Martlew, who was fourth in the men's KL2 200m in Tokyo, won his heat in 43.51sec.
He returned to place sixth in his VL3 200m heat, earning a semi-final berth.
Paralympic debutant Cowan is also into the VL3 200m semi-finals after placing second in his heat.
