Paralympic Games diary: Error leads to gold muddle at the discus

ORGANISERS were left red faced in the Olympic Stadium yesterday when a scoring blunder meant the wrong medals were awarded in women’s discus.

Officials confirmed the placings in the F35/36 were incorrect and Ukraine’s Mariia Pomazan, who had received her gold medal hours earlier was relegated to silver. China’s Wu Qing was promoted to the gold medal position from 
second, but there was 
disappointment for her compatriot, Bao Jiongyu, who dropped from bronze to fourth in the updated standings. Australia’s 
Katherine Proudfoot, 
initially given fifth place, was upgraded to third. A statement from the organisers read: “In today’s women’s combined class discus event (F35/36) incorrect medals were awarded following the use of inaccurate results data. We sincerely apologise to the athletes affected.”

• SCOTS archer Kate Murray bowed out of the women’s recurve W1/W2 competition yesterday, but there was some compensation.

Murray celebrated her 64th birthday on Thursday and she said: “I’ve now got two birthday cakes to eat, as the team bought me one last night.”

• GREAT Britain’s Peter McGuire does not expect to be snookered by the atmosphere when the boccia competition gets under way this weekend. McGuire has been impressed by the facilities at the ExCeL and anticipates it will feel akin to competing at snooker’s most famous venue. “I think it will be like playing at the Crucible in Sheffield so I’m looking forward to that,” he said.

“It has a really close atmosphere and I really thrive in that environment.”