Great Britain wins First Athletics Medals in Paris on Day of a Dozen Golds
Girls go for Glory at the Stade de France
After a slow start to their Paris 2024 Paralympic campaign on the Athletics track, Great Britain’s female athletes changed the story this evening, 1st September.
Samantha (Sammi) Kinghorn, 28, won GB’s first athletics medal, a silver in the T53 800m. She adds this to her collection of one bronze and a silver from Tokyo, in the 100m and 400m respectively.
It’s just the start of Kinghorn’s medal pursuit in Paris, as she has a further four events still to come. She said:
“I came fourth in Tokyo so to get a silver medal today was absolutely amazing.”
“As soon as I crossed the line, I saw my mum and I went over and I was just crying my eyes out.”
Fast in her tracks was racing icon Hannah Cockroft, 32, who won her eight Paralympic Gold and retained her title in the T34 women’s 100m for the fourth consecutive Games.
Whilst Cockroft’s unbroken streak of gold medals since her 2012 debut may seem an athlete’s dream, she saw room for improvement in her time of 16.80.
“The time today, it wasn't amazing, and I don't really know why, but it doesn't matter.”
“I've worked so hard on my start, but I'm still not good enough. So something to work on for the next four years.”
It’s the first time that Cockroft’s raced in a Paralympic Final without setting a new Paralympic Record.
I'd love to get another Games in. The 100 seems to be my event, so I'll just keep going. I'm going to go quicker. I'm going to break 16 seconds, definitely, before I'm done.
It was a 1-2 result as fellow brit Karé Adenegan, 23, claimed the silver spot with a time of 17.99. Reflecting on the outcome, she said:
“It means a lot, I had moments where I was questioning what kind of form I’d be in coming here.”
“I have a strong start but I know Hannah has a really good top speed, so I know she is always coming. She inspires me so much and what she has done is incredible. Huge respect and congratulations to Hannah.”“To be a six-time Paralympic medallist is amazing and hopefully I might have another one by the end of the week.”
Once the medal results started they just kept on coming, with Sabrina Fortune, 27, becoming the 2024 Paralympic Champion and setting a new World Record for women’s F20 shot-put with a throw of 15.12m.
“I was expecting about 14 on the first throw, just a simple throw, and then I hit the world record. I just wanted to jump up and down and celebrate. Then I remembered I have five more throws off the log.”
‘‘Ever since I was a little girl, I didn't expect my learning disability to be able to do an event like this. To be able to go on the world stage, it's a crazy experience and it's something that I'm so, so proud of being able to do”
It’s a jump up from her 5th place finish in Tokyo, adding to the bronze medal she won in Rio.
“Before Tokyo I injured myself. And I was scared because when you fall down, sometimes it's much harder to get back up”
“I'd love to dedicate this to my parents. They have been there all my life. And they have pushed me with my learning disability. To be able to grow as an athlete and as a person.”
Added to gold medals from the rowing, cycling and swimming events, Cockroft and Fortune’s wins help take Britains gold medal tally for today to 12. It’s the single most successful day for gold medals this century.
In the men’s events this evening, Hannah Cockroft’s fiancé Nathan Macguire raced in the T54 400m final.
Hannah said of his medal prospects shortly before the race “Honestly, his medal would mean 10 times more than mine. He can win it; he can do it.”
It wasn’t to be this evening as Nate finished outside the podium in 4th but remained enthusiastic for the events to come:
“I've got a 1,500 metre heat tomorrow night, so I've got to get through the 1,500 and the 800. So, hopefully, I can build on what I've just done and hopefully grab a few medals along the way”
“It is the best experience ever. I learned about the Paralympic Games when I was eight years old and to be able to say now that I'm a three-time Paralympian, I'm in finals and I'm racing against the best in the world, I think eight-year-old me would just explode.”
100m Sprinter Jonnie Peacock qualified 3rd in his heat (5th overall) for the T64 final with a time of 10.93, three tenths of a second off of his PB.
“I'm disappointed, obviously. It definitely wasn’t the best representation of what I’ve got.”
“we'll come back tomorrow. We'll have a good sleep tonight. And try and run a little bit quicker tomorrow.”