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Teenage Aussie wins silver on Rio track

Dual athletics world record-holder Isis Holt has made a strong start to her debut Paralympic Games in Rio, winning silver in the women's T35 100m final.

Australian Isis Holt wins Silver in the Women's 100m T35 Final
Australian Isis Holt has claimed silver in the women's T35 100m final at the Paralympic Games. (AAP)

Her name is Isis Holt and she wants to be like Usain Bolt.

After claiming silver for Australia in the first race of her debut Paralympic Games, the 15-year-old sprint sensation is on the right track.

Holt, the reigning world champion and world record holder, missed out on gold by 0.09 seconds in the women's T35 100m final in Rio, behind China's Xia Zhou.

The Victorian almost took a tumble after the finish line, but bounced straight back up.

"I was fighting pretty hard," she said.

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Holt will next contest the women's 4x100m relay on Friday, before she attempts to defend her world record in the 200m on Saturday.

The schoolgirl hopes to follow in the footsteps of Jamaica's track legend Bolt, who won a hat-trick in the same three titles at the Olympics last month.

"He's amazing to watch and I would love to be like that some day," she said.

"Obviously our names are very similar, which is very fun."

Holt was the youngest of five teenagers all bidding for their first 100m Paralympic title in Rio on Wednesday (Thursday AEST).

The Melburnian, who has cerebral palsy, enjoys competing against athletes her own age on the world stage.

"We're all together in this. It makes it less scary," she said.

The year nine student said juggling training with schoolwork can be difficult, but it's worth it.

"Sometimes I definitely feel like I'm missing out on a normal teenager's life, but who would go for that over this? I wouldn't change it," she said.


2 min read

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Source: AAP



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