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Paralympic heroes hailed for triple medal haul

Published:Monday | March 27, 2017 | 12:00 AMShayne Fairman

Considering Jamaica was represented by a four-member contingent, Jamaica Paralympic Association director Edmund Jones lauded as "very good' the three Para Pan American Youth Games medals returned from Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Para athletes Tevaughn Thomas and Jason Brown earned Jamaica's first medals at an international youth games.

They struck silver and bronze in the Under-19 T47 100m, in what was a very close finish, and 100 and 400m bronze in the T12 100 and 400m, respectively.

The Jamaicans returned with medals aloft at the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA) in Kingston yesterday.

"It was a good Games from the standpoint that we had three new participants. The good thing is, we went into three races, and we came out with three medals," Jones, who was there to greet them at NMIA, told The Gleaner.

"We have high hopes. These are young guys and they are just coming into the squad, so we expect a lot from here," he continued.

The fourth annual Youth Parapan American Games took place in S„o Paulo from March 20-25.

It showcased around 1,000 athletes, aged 12-21 years old, from more than 20 countries.

The Jamaicans' average age is 18.

Jamaica's coach is Neville Sinclair, who called the medal return "very good".

shayne.fairman@gleanerjm.com