Aussie Men's Relay Team Breaks World Record

 

CREDIT: Kota Kawasaki/AP

Ben Popham has just led the Australian Men's Paralympic Team to a world record in swimming.

Popham, Rowan Crothers, William Martin, and Matthew Levy worked their way to Australia's 11th gold medal during the Tokyo Games in the 4x100 relay race, earning 34 points.

Michael Burian broke another world record in the F44 Javelin and won silver in the combined event. 

The Indian Sumit Sumit broke the world mark during the F64 category.

Australia won three gold, two silver and a bronze, moving two places to sixth on the medal tally, having won 11 gold, 17 silver and 14 bronze.

This is the first gold for Australia in the pool since winning four gold on day one. 

It is also Australia's first swimming world record during the Tokyo Games.

"It was a bit like in PE, when you go for dodgeball and the teacher randomly sorts teams," said Popham.

"But you can tell you're on the better one - you're quietly confident you're not going to be battered by some dodgeball."

"They have been super-stellar," he said referencing his team.

The Aussies led at every change clocking 3:44:31 which beat Italy's previous world record of 3:46:06.

Italy came in second, clocking 1:58 seconds behind, and Ukraine gained bronze clocking 3:09 seconds behind.

This was Popham's second Tokyo gold, who also won in the S8 100m freestyle.

Martin also won in the S9 400m freestyle on day one and Crothers won the S10 50m freestyle.

Tim Hodge gained gold in the S9 100m backstroke.

Burian also broke the world record of 66.18m after he threw 66.29m.