LONDON — Former Navy Lt. Brad Snyder of St. Petersburg, who lost his sight in an IED explosion in Afghanistan in September 2011, won a swimming silver medal and set a U.S. record in the men's 50-meter freestyle at the Paralympics on Saturday.
It was Snyder's second medal of the Games, following a gold in the 100 freestyle Friday.
Snyder, 28, who was a standout swimmer at St. Petersburg's Northeast High, was second to China's Yang Bozun in 25.93 seconds. Bozun, second to Snyder in the 100, won in a world-record time of 25.27. Spain's Enhamed Enhamed, whose mark of 25.82 Bozun broke, got the bronze.
Swimmers are classified according to how their impairment affects their ability to perform each stroke. Snyder's race classification is for swimmers with little or no sight.
In sailing, St. Petersburg's Jen French and JP Creignou were in fourth after the first two races in two-person keelboat.
On the track, defending 200-meter champion Oscar Pistorius set a world record of 21.30 seconds in his heat in advancing to today's final. The South African last month became the first handicapped runner to compete in the Olympics.
Loading...