Vanuatu is participating in the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, United Kingdom, from August 29 to September 9, 2012.[1] The country initially hoped to send athletes to compete in wheelchair tennis and track and field.[2] Ultimately, however, its delegation was to consist in only one athlete, Marcel Houssimoli, in three sprinting events.[3] He was the country's flag-bearer during the Games' opening ceremony.[4]
Athletics
Marcel Houssimoli, a right hand amputee, received a wildcard invitation to compete in the men's 100m and 200m in the T37 disability category, and in the men's 400m T38.[3][5][6] As the country's only competitor, he was also the country's opening ceremonies flag bearer.[7]
In heat 1 in the 200m, he finished sixth and last, in 30.12 s.[8] He was the only athlete not to use the starting blocks, and finished more than five seconds behind fifth-placed Rhys Jones of Great Britain.[9]
In heat 1 in the 400m, he finished fifth and last, in 1:09.03, more than fifteen seconds behind the other athletes; the crowd cheered him on to the finish line. He was the only T37 athlete in the race; his opponents, categorised T38, had a lower level of disability. Despite his slow time, he qualified for the final as a fastest loser.[10][11] He finished seventh and last in the final, improving his time to 1:07.61, fourteen seconds behind sixth-placed Marius Stander of South Africa.[10]
In heat 1 in the 100m, he finished 9th and last, in 14.55.[12]
- Men's Track and Road Events
| Athlete | Event | Heat | Final | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Rank | Result | Rank | ||
| Marcel Houssimoli | 100m T37 | 14.55 | 9 | did not advance | |
| 200m T37 | 30.12 | 6 | did not advance | ||
| 400m T38 | 1:09.03 | 5 q | 1:07.61 | 7 | |
See also
- Summer Paralympic disability classification
- Vanuatu at the Paralympics
- Vanuatu at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Notes
- ^ "All Oceania Nations to Head to London 2012 Together", International Paralympic Committee, 9 September 2011
- ^ "Vanuatu Paralympic Committee Aims for London 2012", Vanuatu Paralympic Committee, 15 July 2012
- ^ a b Vanuatu athletes Archived 2012-08-29 at the Wayback Machine, London 2012 official website
- ^ "Hellen to carry our flag" Archived 2012-12-16 at archive.today, Solomon Star, 26 August 2012
- ^ "VAN PARALYMPIC ATHLETE IN THE OLYMPICS", Vanuatu Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee
- ^ "Houssimoli i redi from London 2012 Paralympics", Vanuatu Daily Post, 13 August 2012
- ^ "List of Opening Ceremony flag bearers". Paralympic.org. August 29, 2012. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
- ^ Results : men's 200m T37 Archived 2012-09-01 at the Wayback Machine, London 2012 official website
- ^ "Athlétisme - Qualifications et Finales", France Télévisions, 31 August 2012
- ^ a b Men's 400m - T38 Archived 2012-09-03 at the Wayback Machine, London 2012 official website
- ^ "Athlétisme - Qualifications et Finales", France Télévisions, 2 September 2012
- ^ Men's 100m - T37 Archived 2012-09-13 at the Wayback Machine, London 2012 official website
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