Michael Roeger has fallen just short in his quest to become world champion, with the South Australian star forced to settle for silver at the 2023 world para athletics championships in Paris.
Owner of the world record in the 1500m T46, four-time Paralympian Roeger was pipped by Bulgaria’s Hristiyan Stoyanov.
Paralympic thrower Guy Henly added a silver medal in the discus on Sunday, the penultimate day of a successful competition for Australian athletes.
Hunting his first world track title, a determined Roeger led early before Stoyanov levelled with the Australian on the top bend and charged to victory.
“Coming in today the goal was to win, (coach) Philo (Saunders) and I talked about a plan, I executed that and got beaten," said 35-year-old Roeger, who has returned to the track from contesting the marathon.
"I have got to be happy and hold my head up, the Bulgarian was just too strong in that last hundred."
"I’m happy with the effort but disappointed with silver."
Completing a decade of medals with his fifth consecutive world para athletics championships podium place, Victorian Henly thrived in the cage of Stade Charlety, lifting himself to silver in the discus F37 with his sixth-round effort of 52.45 metres.
“That was pretty special. There were a lot of tough guys and a lot of new guys that I had no idea about," Henly said.
"It was a really strong competition, so to come away with the silver, I’m really stoked.”
Back-to-back shot put F38 world champion Cameron Crombie ran into an 18.26m roadblock when Colombia’s Jose Gregorio Lemos added almost two-metres to the world record.
Canberra's Crombie finished in fourth place with 15.89m while Victoria's Marty Jackson was seventh with a best throw of 14.56m.
Paralympic wheelchair racer Sam McIntosh raced to a fighting fourth-place finish in the 100m T52, clocking a time of 18.18 seconds as a maiden global medal continued to elude the 35-year-old.
With the contest wide open, the Victorian pushed valiantly but was denied bronze by a margin of just 0.16 seconds.
