Paralympics: Niamh McCarthy wins silver medal

Late on Thursday night Niamh McCarthy won Ireland’s ninth medal of the Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, and the third silver medal, in the Women’s Discus Throw F41 final.

The 22-year-old was ranked third in the world going into the Games on the strength of claiming a bronze medal at the World Championships in Doha last year and then a silver in the Europeans in Grosseto, Italy, in June when she smashed her personal best.

The Carrigaline native claimed her the silver medal with her penultimate throw of 26.67m to finish second behind Tunisian Raoua Tlili, who broke the world record with a mark of 33.38m.

McCarthy (silver) joins Jason Smyth (gold), Michael McKillop (gold), Eoghan Clifford (gold, bronze), Katie-George Dunlevy/Eve McCrystal (gold), Colin Lynch (silver), Orla Barry (silver) and Ellen Keane (bronze) as an Irish's medal-winner.