Paralympic Games: Mullen primed for podium finish in his main event

ANDREW Mullen insists he is in a perfect position to reach the podium – his previous two swims doing just the job in preparing him for his main event.

The 15-year-old made the second final of his debut Games yesterday and was agonisingly close to claiming a medal in it, finishing fourth in the S5 50m backstroke. Mullen touched home in a time of 39.54seconds – just over half a second shy of Hungary’s Zsolt Vereczkei who occupied the last place on the podium.

The Scottish teenager had earlier in the week finished eighth in the 50m freestyle final and he goes into today’s 50m butterfly buoyed by his previous efforts.

“I am happy with fourth and I managed to stick to my race plan so I am pleased,” said Mullen. “I managed to make my start better and the 50m freestyle earlier in the week gave me the experience of the crowd so it didn’t affect me. The 50m butterfly is one of my main events and I am looking forward to that and seeing what I can do.”

Mullen’s fellow Scot Sean Fraser placed seventh in the S8 100m freestyle final.

Elsewhere, Stephen McGuire produced a dramatic comeback to seal a semi-final berth at the excel which moved him just one win away from a medal.

Three-time Scottish champion McGuire, 28, took to the boccia hall just minutes after brother Peter had lost in heart-breaking fashion to the defending champion in a tie-break. But after a difficult start which saw him go 3-0 down after two of the four ends, McGuire bounced back in style, levelling things up in the third set with a 3-0 win before sealing a 5-2 victory with his very last throw.

“One more match and I’m guaranteed a medal so that’s fantastic,” said McGuire. “It’s tough out there but this crowd certainly helped me. “

Peter, 30, drew 3-3 with world number one Jose Dirceu Pinto of 
Brazil but the 2008 gold medallist edged through to the semis in the tie-break while Scott McGowan lost his last 16 clash with South Korea’s Jeong Ho-Won.