KEY POINTS:
The final day of competition for New Zealand athletes at the Beijing Paralympics ended painfully short of the team's 13 medal target.
It was left up to powerlifter George Taamaru of Auckland, while the other New Zealanders in action yesterday were the Wheelblacks with a best possible finish of fifth.
Taamaru, 35, lifting in the 100kg-plus category, had every chance to medal but was cut short by some curious judging which saw him given two "no-lifts".
George decided to go for broke on his final lift with a total of 235kg, which would have given him silver, but it proved too heavy.
His earlier efforts of 230kg also would have given him a medal but he was well short of matching event winner Kazem Rajabi Golojeh from Iran, who lifted 257kg.
Powerlifting at the Paralympics is competed in by lying on a bench press and lifting from the brace to the chest and back up to the brace again.
Meanwhile, the Wheelblacks got their fifth place after a 28-25 victory over Germany in wheelchair rugby. It was the second time they had beaten the German side after having beaten them in pool play.
Overall some new stars, such as teenager Sophie Pascoe, emerged for New Zealand while there were some dramatic conclusions to events featuring New Zealanders such as Wellington's Kate Horan avoiding the carnage in her T44 200m race to finish with silver.
Team captain, Auckland's Tim Predergast, had to be stretchered from the 5000m race and another Wellingtonian, Paula Tesoriero, won three medals battling through concussion and heat exhaustion and had her partner, Chris Bishop, take to the medal dais for her after the road race.
Having Bishop receive a medal in a women's race gave the female silver and gold medal winners a great laugh as they stood next to a man.
Team Chef de Mission Duane Kale said while it was disappointing not to reach the 13 medal target, the team performed well and things looked positive for the London Paralympics in 2012.
"It's pretty good. We bought 22 individuals and a wheelchair rugby team and we're going home with 12 medals - five gold medals, three world records - it's a good performance overall," Kale said.
He said coming up slightly short in the medal count mattered from a personal achievement perspective and in terms of the investment from Sparc.
"We'll go back and discuss our performance and determine what that means for 2012."
Kale named Pascoe as the surprise of the Paralympics for New Zealand and said she had delivered far better than anticipated.
The Christchurch 15-year-old won three golds and a silver in her swimming events.
Others who were medal prospects but came up short were hurting, Kale said.
However, the team was strong overall with good support within.
The closing ceremony will be held tonight. No New Zealand athletes will be in competition on the final day.
- NZPA
