Wa-Hi grad Wagner earns eighth career Paralympic tennis medal
Wheelchair tennis player David Wagner didn’t win gold this time around at the Paralympics, but he’ll come back from Rio de Janeiro with a pair of medals to add to his collection.
The former Walla Walla resident defeated South Africa’s Lucas Sithole 1-6, 6-2, 7-5 in the quad singles bronze-medal match Wednesday.
It’s the eighth Paralympic medal of Wagner’s career and his fourth in quad singles. He won the silver in 2004 and 2012, and the bronze in 2008.
Wagner, 42, and partner Nick Taylor took the silver in quad doubles Tuesday. They entered the tournament as the three-time defending champions in that event, but they lost to Australia’s Dylan Alcott and Heath Davidson in this year’s final.
Alcott won the quad singles gold, beating Britain’s Andy Lapthorne 6-3, 6-4. Lapthorne defeated Wagner in the semifinals.
Also Wednesday, Benton City wheelchair track athlete Chelsea McClammer put herself in position for a third medal at these Paralympics, winning her heat in the 5,000 meters-T53/54 with a time of 11 minutes, 49.25 seconds.
U.S. teammate Tatyana McFadden won the other heat in a Paralympic-record time of 11:47.37. The 5,000 final is Thursday.
McClammer, 22, has won silver in the 400-T53 and bronze in the 1,500-T53/54.
This story was originally published September 14, 2016 at 7:14 PM with the headline "Wa-Hi grad Wagner earns eighth career Paralympic tennis medal."