How Australia fared on Day One of the 2024 Paris Paralympics:

AUSTRALIAN MEDALLISTS

GOLD

Tom Gallagher (swimming, men’s S10 50m freestyle) – Not a bad week to be a Gallagher! He secured Australia’s first gold medal to compete a remarkable comeback story after nearly dying with pancreatitis following the Tokyo Games.

Gallagher powered home through the final throes of the men’s S10 50m freestyle final at a packed La Defense Arena to snatch first place with a finishing time of 23.40secs.

The 25-year-old’s surge down the home stretch ensured he held off a chasing pack that included Australian teammate Rowan Crothers, who finished the race with bronze.

“Being the first gold medal of the comp means so much for me,” Gallagher said.

“In Tokyo I was a different athlete, I had a lot of medical issues in my pancreas, so after the 400m, I ended up in hospital for about a month and nearly died.

“I luckily had a surgery a few years ago now that’s fixed it all and I’ve managed to turn into a sprinter.

“Pancreatitis is extremely painful, my heart rate went up to 240bpm and all my internal organs started shutting down.

“I wasn’t able to go on the podium that night but tonight makes up for it. ”

SILVER

Lakeisha Patterson (swimming, S9 women’s 400m freestyle) – The Victorian looked certain to grab Australia’s first gold medal of the games but she was pipped at the post by Sofia Konkoly of Hungary.

“I could see her closing in that last 200 and I like a chase and thought I’d be able to get there tonight,” Patterson said.

“I certainly can’t complain, it’s my third Paralympics now and I’ve podiumed at all three Games and that’s a special feeling.”

BRONZE

Brenden Hall (swimming, S9 men’s 400m freestyle) – Five-time Paralympian Hall came third in an enthralling race where French hero Ugo Didier sealed a dramatic late win.

Rowan Crothers (swimming, men’s S10 50m freestyle) – Finished narrowly behind Gallagher but couldn’t have been happier for his fellow Australian.

It felt like a fitting end for Hall’s seven-medal Paralympic career, who indicated this would be his last Games.

The 31-year-old said the medal win took on extra significance given it was the first time his two-year-old son Bodhi had been able to see him compete.

“Give him another year he’ll realise what dad did was pretty important stuff,” Hall said.

“At the moment he’s just enjoying watching dad swim and have a lot of fun and for me that’s the most important thing.”

WHAT ELSE HAPPENED

* Wheelchair basketball – The Rollers, fell 66-55 to the Netherlands in their opening match of the tournament. Australia trailed by just four points at the end of the third quarter only for the Dutch to pull away. Bill Latham finished as Australia’s top scorer.

* Boccia – Gold medal hopeful Daniel Michel got off to a strong start in his first of three pool games as he defeated South Africa’s Karabo Morapedi 10-2 in the men’s BC3 singles. Jamieson Leeson suffered a 6-1 defeat to Kang Sun-hee of South Korea in the women’s BC3 singles.

* Para-badminton – Juergen Klopp watched on as New Zealand’s Wojtek Czyz fell to a straight-set loss against GB’s Daniel Bethell. The ex-Liverpool manager befriended Czyz after a football injury forced the Polish-born Kiwi to have his leg amputated over 20 years ago.

* Para-triathlon – The Seine has forced another shake-up with all 11 para-triathlon races condensed and will now take place on September 1. Originally due to be spread across September 1 and 2, anticipated rainfall led to the change.

WHO SAID WHAT?

* “It was the first time my in-laws had seen me swim live, so I had to give them something to enjoy” – Brenden Hall knows how to leave a good impression with his wife’s parents after winning the S9 400m freestyle bronze.

* “The home nation France tomorrow night, it’s going to be loud.” – The Steelers are going to have to fight against a wall of French noise on day two to keep their Paralympic medal hopes alive after falling 58-55 against Great Britain.

MEDAL TABLE (after day one)

1. China – Gold: 4, Silver: 1, Bronze 0. Total: 5.

2. Great Britain – Gold: 2, Silver: 3, Bronze 1. Total: 6.

3. Italy – Gold: 2, Silver: 2, Bronze 5. Total: 9.

4. Netherlands – Gold: 2, Silver: 0, Bronze 0. Total: 2.

5. France – Gold: 1, Silver: 2, Bronze 0. Total: 3.

6. Australia – Gold: 1, Silver: 1, Bronze 2. Total: 4

With AAP