Six medals for GB on day five at WPA European Championships
In the morning session, David Devine won his first European title in T13 5000m, while Polly Maton picked up two bronze medals in the T47 long jump and 100m. In the evening session, Jo Butterfield (F51 Club Throw) and Rhys Jones (T37 100m) added two silver medals to the tally and Steve Osborne took home bronze in the T51 200m.
David Devine (club: Liverpool, coach: Anthony Clarke, pictured above) won his first ever European title in the T13 5000m. Having headed the field for much of the contest, controlling the pace throughout, the Liverpudlian made the decisive move with 600m to go, pulling away from the chasing pack of three, to seal his first European title.
After six injury-laden years after his double medal haul at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, Devine captured his second medal of the week after silver in the 1500m on Monday. This time he commanded the race, clocking 15:11.28 to earn the title.
David spoke afterwards:
"My coach told me I’m in really good 5km shape, so he said to go out and control it for 4km and go from there. The Spanish athletes went past me a couple of times, but it didn’t bother me. I paced it right and had enough to pick it up at the end.
"I was a bit disappointed after the 1500m on Monday (when he won silver) but this has put a smile on my face today."
In the field, Polly Maton (Team Devizes – Moorakers AC, Colin Baross) grabbed the bronze medal in the T47 long jump after a personal best leap of 5.28m (+1.1 m/s) in round two. It was an improvement by one centimetre on her previous best and it earned her the European honour and added to the world silver she won last year in London. It is quite an achievement for the 18-year-old who has been completing her A-levels this year.
Polly said:
"It is just so amazing, and to do it with a PB is even better. I’ve had a tough year as I have been doing my A-levels, so this season has been really short. In fact, this was only my second long jump competition of the year.
“I won my first senior medal last year at the World Championships, so to win another is a big achievement for me."
Four further medals were added to the tally during the evening session at the World Para Athletics European Championships in Berlin.
Polly Maton won her second bronze medal of the day after a fantastic run in the women’s T47 100m final. Maton battled brilliantly over the last 50m to reach the podium once again.
For Jo Butterfield (Forth Valley Flyers, Philip Peat, pictured above), it was a return to the podium at the Championships, throwing a solid series, her best effort coming in round four, with a best of 21.53m. Zoia Ovsii (UKR) won the event in a world record of 24.31m.
Jo spoke afterwards:
"It has been a tough year; I had surgery earlier in the year, so I am just very happy to be competing here. I would have liked to have thrown a little further, but it is pretty good to be out there.
"I would have preferred the gold to be honest but wouldn’t we all. But getting a medal for the team is a big thing. Whatever happened on the day, I was still able to come out here and win a medal. It has been a rough year and a lot of rehab, I still have more to come. To take that silver medal is quite special."
Rhys Jones (DSW Para Academy, Christian Malcolm) got the British team off to another great start in the first event of the evening session of day five in Berlin, bettering his fourth in the T37 200m final to claim a superb silver in the T37 100m medal showdown.
The Welsh athlete got off to a perfect start, comfortably in the medal mix after 30m before powering through to claim silver in 12.10.
Rhys said:
"I am over the moon. It has been a rollercoaster of a year, especially with the Commonwealth Games so earlier in the season. Times weren’t an issue it was about coming out an executing. I knew if I could execute I could win a medal. I said that after the 200m where it didn’t happen, but it was my time to shine this time and I delivered on the big stage."
