All smiles for Josh Cassidy
Josh Cassidy motivated for 2012
It was all smiles for Paralympian Josh Cassidy in Sydney yesterday as he followed a 5000m track victory on Sunday with second place in the ‘Oz Day’ 10K on Thursday using his Draft Wheelchair Sports Chair. Training in Australia since 5th January, Cassidy was taking advantage of Canberra and Sydney meetings to race against the world’s best in the 800m, 1500m and the 5000m as part of his run up to London 2012.
Cassidy started the first meet at Canberra with a bout of sickness but took the decision to race, turning in 5th in both the 800m and 1500m and finishing a very close second to Australia’s Kurt Fearnley in the 5000m, just 0.26 seconds behind him in a time of 10:27.91.
In Sydney, the 800m and 1500m saw Cassidy looking stronger, finishing 3rd and 6th but in the 5000m, he gave it everything and a head down, shoulder pumping performance saw the smiling Canadian surge across the line to beat South Korean, Sukman Hong, into second place in a time of 11:11.52. Hong’s time was 11:23.59. Fellow Canadian Jean Paul Campoare finished in third place in 12:15.21.
In the finale – the Oz Day 10K, Cassidy’s main threat was again, friend and competitor, Kurt Fearnley, the Beijing 2008 Marathon gold medallist. Alongside Cassidy and Fearnley on the grid were Roger Puigbo Verdaguer of Spain, Kota Hokinoue and Nobukazu Hanaoka of Japan so competition was fierce.
Off the gun, Cassidy and Fearnley got an explosive start and right away opened up a 200m gap.
Said Cassidy, “Once we had a gap, I let Kurt know. We agreed to work it which was ideal for both of usâ€.
The pair increased their lead on the pack, taking turns out front, giving the crowds by the Sidney Opera House and Harbour Bridge an impressive show of metal and muscle. But it was Fearnley, arguably the world’s greatest hill climber that just edged ahead on an incline at about 6km into the race. With the home crowd behind him, Fearnley held off Cassidy, crossing the finish line in 20:24.00. Cassidy’s time was 20:53.00. New Zealander Matthew Lack finished third in 21.36.00.
Fearnley said “Josh was good to keep the pace up with me but when the hills came I was able to make the break’.
Said 26 year old Cassidy, “Kurt is a tough man to beat on the hills. But I am really happy with this result. It gets me motivated me for 2012â€. And so it should – Fearnley’s time set a new course record which reflects the great effort put in by an ‘under the weather’ Cassidy to finish second maintaining his threat for podium at the Paralympic Games in London in September.
For more information on the sports chairs that help Josh Cassidy perform