RHEED McCracken was determined to make another Paralympics podium.
Not a disjointed preparation, not a straight final and not even popped rib cartilage within the last week could stop him.
And while Tunisia's Walid Ktila may have broken the Games record to win a third consecutive title, Australian wheelchair athlete McCracken continued his consistent showing in the men's T34 100 metres.
The 24-year-old Charlestown resident sealed silver in Tokyo on Monday, now sitting alongside the same medals from both Rio (2016) and London (2012) earned over almost a decade of international competition.
"It's a good reward. He's been second best in the world for basically 10 years now," McCracken's Merewether-based coach Andrew Dawes told the Newcastle Herald.
McCracken produced a season-best 15.37 seconds, 0.36s behind Ktila (15.01s), in what was his first overseas race since the 2019 World Championships because of the global coronavirus pandemic.
"There were no semis or heats in what was his first major race in almost two years, apart from a few at the AIS," Dawes said.
"His best over the summer was a 15.5 so I was really happy with his last six weeks. He got ready to race fast and he did, the other bloke just raced faster."
History repeats!
— 7Sport (@7Sport) August 30, 2021
It's Walid Ktila first and Rheed McCracken second in Men's T34 100m final for the THIRD Paralympics in a row 😮
A cracken effort from the Aussie seals silver 🥈#Tokyo2020 |#Paralympicspic.twitter.com/orHAdSQV34
In the wake of the sprint event, it was revealed McCracken suffered an injury while training in Japan five days ago.
Dawes confirmed it had been an ongoing problem throughout 2021.
"He's had trouble for the past six months," Dawes said.
"It just pops out because of where the frame rubs on his ribs there constantly.
"It settled down before he left but I think the first or second session in Japan he had a bit of pain again. He's used to it so it wasn't a major issue."
Dawes said there was space to do "some things a little different" but it was "onwards and upwards" towards future Paralympic campaigns, most immediately Paris in 2024.
In the meantime McCracken has the men's T34 800m heats in Tokyo on Friday (12:29pm, AEST). He clinched bronze in that event five years ago.
The Bundaberg product spoke to official broadcaster the Seven Network following his main race.
"I feel really good about it. It's something I'm really proud of," he said.
"I go into all of them thinking this is going to be the year, and it was no different this year. I did everything [I could], so I'm pretty happy with it. Three [silvers] in this event - I'd take that any day, that's for sure."
In terms of his main rival Ktila.
"We've been able to beat him in other events, so we know it can be done," McCracken said.
"It's just whenever we get to these [Paralympics], he just goes to another level. He just seems to rise when he needs to."
Newcastle-based training partners Luke Bailey (men's T54 100m) and Christie Dawes (women's marathon) are also in action this week, Wednesday and Sunday respectively.
