Women's 400M Freestyle - S8 | Final | Swimming | Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games

>> We couldn't have asked for anything more after a finish like that in the men's 400 freestyle. But in the women's 400 metre freestyle S8 we are expecting a very tight affair as well. Might Let's meet the individuals who will be doing battle. Duskova in lane 8, an occupational therapist, managed her training around her day job. Pavlova from Moscow goes in lane 1 for RPC. Vinther goes in lane 7 representing Denmark, the country representing the highest percentage of employment for women in the EU. Swimming for the oldest continually used flag in the world. Maack of Germany, just 17-years-old, a glorious experience for her. She goes in 2. For Spain in lane 6 is another 17-year-old, Zudaire Borrezo. Palazzo is already a medallist in these championships. Going in lane 5, somebody who is one of the most decorated and recognised Paralympians of all time, not just in the pool, the 29-year-old Long who was beaten in the 2016 final but double champion before that and won the 200IM for the fourth successive time at these Games already. Stickney, non-disabled swimmer until her left foot needed to be amputated after she broke the bones in her foot as a 15-year-old. She subsequently needed to have the lower portion of her right leg amputated in 2019. She is quick. Stickney against Long, the battle to come. >> This one is one to watch. Lakeisha Patterson's world record is in jeopardy, especially by Stickney. Palazzo going in lane 3 for Italy is the only other swimmer who comes into this race with a time any below the five-minute mark. It's Stickney and Long well into the 4. 40s and chasing that record of Lakeisha Patterson's which stands at 4. 33. Getting off to a good start is Jessica Long. Stickney is a strong swimmer and maybe a tactic from Long to see if Stickney will go with her and disrupt the plans of the younger swimmer. Stickney is breathing to the left with every stroke. >> I do think Jessica Long is going to want to attack this freestyle. Stickney and Long are very strong swimmers. Jessica Long has a speed. She has slight advantage over the turns, she's a little quicker. Stickney though, she was an able-bodied swimmer, ranked in the top 20 and did the 1,500 when she was able-bodied. That is the ultimate distance event in swimming, sow know she's going to have a very strong back half. Jessica Long her strategy should be to get as far ahead of Stickney as far as she can. >> I must say Palazzo is holding on to the tails of Stickney for the time being. The Italian is looking for yet another medal in the pool. Certainly for Italy and for herself as well, while the battle for fourth could be on between Maack and Zudaire Borrezo from Spain. For now, heading up towards the 200 metre mark it is a staggered line of swimmers. Long from Stickney from Palazzo. Palazzo, she's in a clear third place, she's really established herself right now, seems to be going strong. Long and Stickney pretty much well out of her sight now, but she is trying to, as long as she can keep herself away from the other swimmers and avoid the last minute charge, she should secure herself that bronze medal right now. >> Looking to secure that bronze, a fantastic relay gold for her, Palazzo. She's been around for a while, having first competed in the World Championships in 2013. Long, when you talk about being around for a while, she made her debut in Athens as a 12-year-old, where she picked up three golds in freestyle events. She is looking now to continue that impressive run in this freestyle event. When does Stickney make her move. As they come back towards the 300 mark. Stickney is looking to up the pace a little, increase the tempo, increase the stroke rate. >> She does but Long is not giving her any ground. Long is attacking this, swimming a very smart race. Stickney, shows' she's trying to close the gap a little bit. Jessica Long is such a well trained swimmer. >> If there is any error that Long could lose it is in her turns, but once she is in her stroke she looks to be the very best in the pool. She is a leader by example. She's technically so proficient. I shouldn't say proficient, she is far more than that. Stickney does have pace. The question is whether or not Long is going to allow her any room to try to use that pace. >> Stickney has made up serious ground during this final 100. Now as they go into the last 50 it's going to be an all out sprint. Long a very smart and experienced swimmer. Stickney also experienced. We know she has the distance background. >> Stickney is looking to make her move. Jessica Long, 25 Paralympic Games medals after her gold in the 200IM. Her word with 14 golds and of course in the World Championship she's got a host of golds as well. 31 World Championship medals that are golden. But she might not be claiming the gold here because Stickney is flying past her. She has got an incredibly strong finish. She's first at the wall with 50 to go, she was behind Jessica Long, would overturn that in the pool and Long for the second Paralympic Games for succession after winning three before that, touches for second after her silver in Rio. Palazzo comes home for third. The battle for forth is going to Zudaire Borrezo for Spain who touches ahead of Maack. We were thrilled by the finish in the men's race. The women's race needed to step up and deliver and it's done exactly that. What a race between the two Americans. >> Yes and I mean, Stickney, wow, that finish, that was something. I'm going to remember that for the rest of the night. Jessica Long, she went out, tried to maintain it, she was very evenly paced throughout the whole thing, both of them had a very strong swim. >> Jessica long will take the silver here and significant in the sense that now she has got three medals from her three individual events and she's got one gold, one silver and one bronze. >> Lakeisha Patterson can breathe a sigh of relief as her record stays, maybe for another few weeks. >> It is about managing your race and Jessica Long, looked to give herself an advantage and tried to attack the race in the early stages. Keep that advantage. Palazzo's Bronze Medal, a quality swim again, 4.56, so anything sub-five is good. Stickney and Long are double below the knee amputees, Long, she does have a better start than Stickney now and that's just practise. Going into the race, you see Long took out the early advantage and Long and Stickney again relatively evenly matched on the walls, neither one of them has particularly strong turns. Long has more experience at the Paralympics but Stickney, she is such a distanced background and used that to come back during the final 50 and flew right past Long. What a finish. >> An incredible finish for Stickney, an emotional moment for her no doubt. Jessica Long her 26th Paralympic Games medal and 70th global medal at major international competitions. Stickney takes the gold ahead of Jessica Long in an all US battle. Palazzo had a solid sub-five minute swim and took bronze. >> To the men's 100m