Key Points
- James Turner has beaten his own world record, winning gold in the T36 400m event at the Paris Paralympics.
- Turner has now won golds at the last three Paralympics.
- Australia’s Rachel Watson and Alex Saffy also scored bronze medals in swimming on day six of the Paralympics.
Sprinter James Turner has revealed how a debilitating bout of glandular fever nearly derailed his gold medal dream after he smashed his own world record to successfully defend his T36 400m crown.
Turner blitzed the field at the Stade de France on Tuesday, bettering his previous 51.71 world record which he set in Dubai five years ago.
The 25-year-old, who won the same race in Tokyo in 2021, finished with a time of 51.54.
Turner’s medal was one of three won by Australia on day six of the Games in Paris, with Rachael Watson (women’s 100m freestyle S3) and Alex Saffy (men’s 100m butterfly S10) picking up bronze.
Turner’s gold was Australia’s first on the track at this Games, and he explained that his quest for glory had been on shaky ground since he was bowled over by glandular fever in May.
“I was struggling with it for a month and a half, two months … it really affects the training,” he said.
James Turner celebrates after winning the men’s T36 400m final on day six of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Source: Getty / Harry Murphy
“You’ve got to build back up from zero and a lot of work from a lot of people went into it,” Turner said.
“I went through phases. I’d have waves of exhaustion, where I could barely walk and I was stumbling around, in a bit of delirium.
“I obviously wasn’t able to train and as soon as I’d start training, I’d get worse, so we had to be really careful and come back really slowly.
“I didn’t think I’d be able to break a world record here today. I just thought maybe if I do everything right, I can scrape across the line first.”
Turner has now won gold in three back-to-back Paralympics and the Canberra-based runner is also set to compete in the 100m sprint.
His one wish is that, like with his 400m victory, he is allocated lucky lane seven.
“When I heard that I got lane seven, I got a bit more confidence [because] every time I’m in lane seven at a major meet, I break a world record,” Turner said.
“I am racing in the 100m as well … I’d like lane seven. It’s more important for the bends (in the 400m) but let’s see if we can get it.”
Turner’s gold was followed by bronzes for Watson and Saffy in the pool at La Défense Arena in the evening session.
Watson’s event was a new discipline and she will aim to defend her 50m freestyle crown later this week.
