Lewis eighth in Paralympics debut

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2: Jessica Lewis made her Paralympics debut today in London competing in the T-53 100m wheelchair race.

It was a straight final with just eight athletes competing and Lewis finished eighth in a time of 19.38, just outside her personal best of 18:51.

The race was won by Lisha Huang of China in 16:42 with countrywoman Hongzhuan coming in second with a personal best of 16:90.

Angela Ballard of Australia was third.

Lewis’ next event is the 200m on Thursday, September 6 at 4:49pm Bermuda Time.

She will also compete in the 400m on Saturday.

She is the first athlete from Bermuda to compete in wheelchair racing in the Paralympics.

Earlier this week Lewis told the Bermuda Sun: It’s such an honour to be able to represent my country at such a high level and be the first one. I want to show people that there are other athletes besides able-bodied. We train just as hard and we can excel just as well at different sports. I hope that motivates other people with disabilities to believe they can compete. They don’t have to give up on their dreams and that they can dream just as big as anybody else can. It’s not just dreaming though because they can succeed if they put the work in.