Pelendritou comes in third in repeat race in Tokyo

Cypriot Paralympic medallist Carolina Pelendritou took third place for the second time in a repeat of the final of the 50m freestyle in Tokyo on Sunday breaking her previous record by coming in at 29.79 seconds.

Cyprus National Paralympic Committee it was an historic day for Cyprus and for para sports.

In Friday’s race Pelendritou won the bronze but the race was cancelled due to an appeal by the Dutch team.

Pelendritou had finished third behind Chinese swimmers Ma Jia, who set a new world record with 29.46 seconds, and Li Guizhi, who closed at 29.66 seconds.

Pelendritou’s time in Friday’s final was recorded at 29.8, an improvement to her time in the semi-final of 29.92 seconds, which at the time set a new world record.

Before Tokyo, the Cypriot swimmer won the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens and at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing in 2008, while at the London Olympics in 2012 she won silver.

Ma Jia also took the gold on Sunday with 29.2 seconds, a new personal and world record.