Nicole Turner qualifies for S6 200m final in Rio

The 14-year-old will go up against hot favourite Ellie Simmonds of Britain tonight

Ireland’s Nicole Turner qualified for the final of the Women’s 50 Metre Butterfly - S6 at the Rio Paralympics. Photo: Dan Behr/Inpho
Ireland’s Nicole Turner qualified for the final of the Women’s 50 Metre Butterfly - S6 at the Rio Paralympics. Photo: Dan Behr/Inpho

Ireland's Nicole Turner finished fourth in her heat of the S6 20 metres IM in 3.17.09 and that was good enough to make tonight's final as the eighth fastest qualifier.

The 14-year-old has qualified for her third final in as many events a noteworthy achievement. She led by three metres after the Butterly leg but was overhauled comprehensively in the Backstroke and it was only the final 50-metres of Freestyle in which she started to claw back some clear pool forged by the first three home.

Britain’s Ellie Simmonds won the heat and will be a strong contender for the gold medal as she posted a time of less than two seconds outside the world record.

Dublin born James Scully recorded a personal best 37.38 in the heats of the S5 50 metres Freestyle but it was only enough for seventh place and as a result he misses out on tonight's final.

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Kildare's Sean Baldwin finished his shooting campaign in the Paralympics when finishing 20th in the R7 50 metre Rifle 3 Positions.

Finally, Deirdre Mongan finished fifth in the Women's F53 Shot Putt final at the Olympic stadium. Her throw of 4.04 metres was 72 centimetres behind the gold medal winner Fatema Nedham and 24 centimetres off a medal. The three medal winners either managed a regional record, a personal best and a season's best throws.

John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan is an Irish Times sports writer