There were smiles all around at the Bird's Nest on Thursday evening, with five Paralympic gold medals decided.
A fierce battle was displayed by athletes across the five disciplines of the Men's Pentathlon, but the gold medal went to Jeremy Campbell of the United States. The win by Campbell ended the roll of Urs Kolly of Switzerland, who has won gold in this event at the previous three Games. Athens silver medalist Casey Tibbs of Team USA started the day with a P44 Long Jump Paralympic record (6.76 meters) for 995 points. But, his compatriot, Campbell, shot to the front of the competition (with a total of 1859 points) after his Shot Put effort (14.44m), and never looked back.
Campbell dominated in the 100m, finishing fastest (11.56 seconds) to extend his lead on the competition (with 2815 points), before adding a further 948 points for his 52.30 m throw in the Discus. Jeff Skiba of the United States scored 858 points for his 47.31m toss and moved to second-place in the rankings. Tibbs failed to score in the Discus, so in the final discipline, the 400m, the three remaining competitors were guaranteed of medals. Campbell streaked home in the 400m in 56.39s for a P44 world record total score (4662 points). Kolly was second in the 400m, in 1:00.29, and picked up the bronze medal (with 4118 points), behind silver medalist Skiba (4274 points).
Having qualified fastest with a Paralympic record (10:13.21) for the Men's 5000m - T54, Athens 2004 gold medalist Kurt Fearnley of Australia added a silver medal to his tally, finishing in 10:22.97, behind gold medalist Prawat Wahoram of Thailand. The lead changed countless times in the opening laps with no competitor gaining a real ascendancy on the race. But when the bell sounded for the final lap, Wahoram led David Weir of Great Britain, and Fearnley was in third. Wahoram held his nerve in the final lap, to finish first, in 10:22.38. Fearnley put his head down in the home straight, and pipped bronze medalist Weir (who finished in 10:23.03), in the final meters. The Athens silver medalist Aaron Gordian of Mexico finished in seventh-place.