27 March 2017 

There were a host of strong performances by Britain’s para athletes at the Sharjah International Open meeting in the United Arab Emirates, including a personal best for Kylie Grimes (coach: Phil Peat) and race wins for several athletes.

Grimes (Phil Peat) (F51) produced the best club throw of her career as she added a significant amount to her previous personal best, extending it to 19.65m. The huge effort came in round two, followed by two other throws over her previous best with a series including 19.17m and 19.44m backing up her earlier throw. The event victory was another breakthrough performance for Grimes who has competed at every major athletics championship for Great Britain since the Worlds in Doha in 2015.

It was another impressive performance by Jordan Howe (Christian Malcolm) (T35) who was just outside the personal best he set in Fazaa last week, winning the combined T35/36/42 100m in 12.81 (+1.5).

Paralympic T38 100m champion Sophie Hahn (Joe McDonnell) was the winner once again in a time of 12.83 (+1.4) in a race where Laura Sugar (Femi Akinsanya) (T44) and Katrina Hart (Rob Ellchuk) (T37) finished in times of 13.40 and 15.09 respectively. Sugar also won the combined T12/13/44/47 200m with a time of 28.28 aided by a +3.0 tailwind. Hart also ran over 200m, crossing the line in 32.06 (+4.3) in another race affected by the wind. Maria Lyle (Ryan Freckleton) was third in the combined T35/36/37/38 200m, with a time of 29.79 (+4.3)

Elsewhere, James Arnott (Ryan Freckleton) (T46) continued his winning streak in the United Arab Emirates, earning another double victory on the T46 100m and 200m despite two illegal wind readings. In the 100m, he won in 11.38 (+3.1) and in the 200m it was a time of 23.49 (+3.2). In the same combined race, Morgan Jones (Christian Malcolm) (T47) also continued his rise in the sport, with times of 12.00 and 24.59 in the 100m and 200m respectively.

Grimsby’s Zac Shaw (Joe McDonnell) (T13) also earned a double win over the time trial events for all the visual impairment classes. He was fastest overall in the 100m with a time of 11.17 (+3.2) and the 200m with 23.00 (+2.0). Welshman James Ledger (Christian Malcolm) (T12) was second in the 100m, recording 11.64 (+2.0), and Dan Powell (Joe McDonnell) (T11) competed over 200m and 400m, setting times of 25.21 (+2.1) and 56.85.

After missing out on a plus 29 metre throw at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai last week, there was redemption for Stephen Miller (Ros Miller) in the F32 club throw as threw 29.66m in the final round following a 29.53m effort in round five. He finished second overall in the competition behind the Czech athlete Frantisek Serbus who achieved a best of 30.75m.

Shaun Burrows (Joe McDonnell) (T38) continued his comeback in the 400m with a third place finish, in a time of 55.31. Elsewhere, in the long jump, fresh from a lifetime best in Fazaa, Luke Sinnott (Roger Keller) (T42) completed one effort in the first round of 5.08m but unfortunately pulled out of the competition after a second round foul.

Two of the busiest athletes over the two day competition were Andrew Small (Rick Hoskins) (T33) and Nate Williams (Hoskins) (T34), competing over a trio over events – the 100m, 400m and 800m. Paralympic bronze medallist Small posted times of 17.56 (+3.6), 1:03.11, 2:12.31. Additionally, Williams on the other handed, clocked 18.18 (+3.6), 57.77, 2:00.11 over the three events.

Results from the event can be found on the Team Thomas website: http://www.team-thomas.org/