Sprinter James Turner has revealed how a debilitating bout of glandular fever nearly derailed his Paralympic 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 at Tokyo in 2021, finished with a time of 51.54.
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His 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 when 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. 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.”
That he did, and Turner has now won gold at three straight Paralympics and Canberra-based runner is set to compete in the 100m sprint too.
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 Defense 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.
Saffy, meanwhile, was elated after leaving his family home in Bunbury in WA to further his career in Canberra.
The 18-year-old said he had considered his future in competitive swimming but that his new status as a Paralympic medallist was a welcome reward.
“I really questioned if everything in the in this sport was worth it for me, because I’ve doubted it a lot,” Saffy said.
“That medal is such relief.
“It’s crazy, it was three years of training for this and I’m very emotional, I’m just glad it’s over.”
