Whitehead breaks his own world record while Butterfield takes bronze
Jo Butterfield added bronze in the F52 discus to the gold she won earlier in the week in the F51 club throw to take British Athletics’ medal tally to 16.
Her throw of 8.96m was enough to see Butterfield clinch another podium spot and add a fourth medal to the room she shares with T37 400m gold and 100m silver medallist Georgie Hermitage (Paul MacGregor).
Also a double European Champion, Butterfield said afterwards:
“I’m over the moon – I knew that one was going to be really tough and I had to work hard for it. I’m just going to relax now and cheer on everyone in the team; we have a lot of good medal opportunities still to come.
“It’s special – Georgie and I have got a bit of a florists going on at the moment in our room. It’s been a great experience and she has been the best roommate I could have asked for. We have both really encouraged each other and that has really helped.”
There was no messing about from reigning world T42 200m champion Richard Whitehead (Keith Antoine), as the 39 year old smashed his own world record on his way to securing a place in tomorrow’s T42 200m final. Whitehead, whose previous mark of 24.38 which he set on his way to Paralympic gold at London 2012, stormed through the field in typical fashion clocking an impressive 24.10.
A jubilant Whitehead said:
"I was actually quite nervous this morning but I wanted to deliver a performance. I’ve acted upon the support I have had over the last year from British Athletics, my mum and dad, my partner Valerie and my children. I want to deliver another performance tomorrow. Anything less than a world record is not going to be good enough.
“It is important that people realise sport is not about medals for me, it is about being able to pay back those who have supported me and hopefully guiding others towards their successes. I’ve run 40 marathons in 40 days; I’ve worked with MSF in Syria on their projects out there. It truly is an honour to be a GB athlete and putting on the vest. Even now I’m 39 years old; I’m passionate about what I do.”
Dave Henson (Roger Keller) will join his compatriot in the final after finishing third in the first semi-final. Like Whitehead, the debutant powered through the field in the last 80m to go from sixth to third place clocking a time of 26.61.
Steve Osborne (Jenni Banks) agonisingly missed out on the medals by just a tenth of a second in the T51 100m final. The Dartford athlete, who earlier qualified for the final in 21.73, posted a time of 22.01 finishing just behind Algeria’s Mohamed Berrahal.
After storming through this morning’s T53 400m semi-final, Mo Jomni (Jenny Archer) finished an impressive fifth in 50.63 and will now turn his attentions to the 800m, which takes place on Thursday.
Olivia Breen (Julie Hollman-Dodoo) finished sixth in the T38 long jump final with her opening round leap of 4.27m, which was just one centimetre off the personal best she set in Birmingham in July.
In her eighth race in six days, Sammi Kinghorn (Ian Mirfin) continued a successful championship recording a huge personal best in the T53 800m to finish seventh, to go alongside the bronze medal she won in the 200m. The Scottish athlete took nearly two seconds off her previous best as the 19 year old finished her gruelling schedule in style.
After two fourth place finishes in the 400m and 800m, Ben Rowlings (Job King) missed out on a place in the T34 100m final after finishing sixth in the semi-final in a time of 17.18.
British Athletics' medal tally at the IPC Athletics World Championships (16):
Gold (7): Paul Blake (T36 800m), Jo Butterfield (F51 club throw), Hannah Cockroft (T34 100m), Kadeena Cox (T37 100m), Aled Davies (F42 shot put), Sophie Hahn (T38 100m), Georgie Hermitage (T37 400m)
Silver (5): Paul Blake (T36 400m), Georgie Hermitage (T37 100m), Maria Lyle (T35 200m), David Weir (T54 1500m & Marathon)
Bronze (4): Jo Butterfield (F52 Discus), Abbie Hunnisett (F32 club throw), Mo Jomni (T53 200m), Sammi Kinghorn (T53 200m)
