Four golds and pair of world records made it a day to remember for the Loughborough athletes at the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships, a phenomenal home crowd undoubtedly spurring them on.
Richard Whitehead (Photo: Loughborough University)
Richard Whitehead, one of the stars of Paralympic sport, treated himself to an early birthday present by taking another T42 200m world title. 41 in just five days’ time, the world record holder blew away his opposition before producing his trademark ‘guns’ salute.
After winning in 23.26, Whitehead commented: “As a British athlete you do feel pressured. But with pressure comes a performance like that and as you come off the bend it just reignites those moments from 2012, and when I came off that bend all of a sudden that whirlwind effect is pulling you to the finish line. That was a special moment.
“If you are British athlete and you are able to do it in your home stadium it’s something special”.
Despite his status, Whitehead named Sophie Hahn (pictured second from right in lead photo) as the performance of the day, the 20 year old tearing round the bend to win her first major 200m title, smashing the world record in the process.
Hahn, already Paralympic and two-time world champion over the shorter 100m, upgraded the silver medals she won in the longer event at the last two World Championships with a simply sublime run. Running blind in lane nine, the Loughborough based sprinter flew round the bend and held her form superbly in the closing stages to stop the clock at 26.11.
Naturally delighted, Hahn said: “It feels phenomenal. I never imagined I’d get the world record. It doesn’t matter about times as long as I got the gold. I’ve been running very well this year and have a great team behind me. It feels fantastic. I am so happy. The noise was phenomenal out on the track.”
Another athlete to win gold with a new world record performance was two time Paralympic and now three time world champion Hollie Arnold. Producing a remarkably consistent series, Arnold took the F46 javelin title, delivering that 43.02m effort in round four to break her old record by 1cm.
Coached by Loughborough Sport’s David Parker, Arnold spends half of her week training at the Paula Radcliffe Stadium, and that move over the last twelve months has been rewarded with a new world record.
“That was a fantastic series for me. I went out there to smash it and I did. It was great to get the world record. I knew that fourth throw was close but I wasn’t sure if I’d got it. The support of the crowd was absolutely amazing. I’m really delighted.”
Stef Reid finally got her golden moment, after finishing runner-up at so many global championships over the last five years. Twice Paralympic silver medallist, Reid wasn’t about to let this opportunity go to waste, as she took an early lead in round one of the T44 long jump.
Thriving off an adoring home crowd, Reid led throughout, improving to 5.40m in round three which ramped up the volume even more. This proved to be the winning jump for the T44 single leg amputee, ensuring she was finally able to step up onto the top step of the podium.
A delighted Stef Reid commented: “I felt nervous coming in this morning but once I came out, I thought: ‘I am at home’. I didn’t want to be the silver girl for ever. Of course, you have voices in your head, but you have got to be tough. I have been doing this for 11 years now. It has taken a long time to get there so it is so satisfying to win this gold medal. A lot of athletes never get to do this so I am ever so grateful that I get the chance to do this. It feels amazing. It has been a long journey.
“In Rio I was competing and then working for Channel 4. This time I was also a board member for the organisation. This is a really special championship to win gold at, as I have seen it from all sides.”
Also in action in the morning session was Zac Shaw, and he finished fourth in his T12 100m semi-final, unfortunately not enough to advance to the final. He’ll back in action in the 200m on Wednesday.
Report courtesy of Loughborough University
