11th April 2016

Henson Shines In Grosseto

11 April 2016 

David Henson (coach: Roger Keller) was in the shape of his life as he clocked two personal bests in Grosseto at the fourth event of the IPC Grand Prix over the weekend.

Henson, an IPC World finalist in 2015, won the T42 100m and 200m in fine style, clocking bests of 13.65 (-0.3) and 26.35 (+1.5) respectively to get his Paralympic year off to an encouraging start.

Fellow world finalist Kylie Grimes (Phil Peat) made a strong start to the 2016 season with a personal best in the club throw. After making her international debut in the event in Doha, the Surrey-based athlete has seen vast improvements to her performance. In the fifth round she recorded her furthest mark of 15.80m to readjust her previous best.

IPC European medallist Isaac Towers (Peter Wyman) earned quadruple victory over the three day event. The Blackpool, Wyre & Fylde athlete competed first in the T34 800m posting 1:51.25 before a trio of events on day two with the 200m (30.89), 400m (59.34) and 1500m (3:43.40).

There were more personal bests for Jayden Saberton (Lee Walker) who stopped the watch at 12.66 (+0.0) in the T37 100m to take almost 0.25 off his previous best. He returned to the track for the 400m with a time of 59.38 for a second race victory of the competition.

16 year-old Yasmin Somers (Jenny Archer) recorded a career best in the T33 200m with 54.24 to add to 28.50 in the 100m. 14 year-old Eden Rainbow-Cooper set a lifetime best of 18.68 (+0.6) in the T54 100m. In addition, she posted times of 34.05 (200m), 1:09.91 (400m), 2:12.50 (800m) and 4:24.13 (1500m).

Meggan Dawson-Farrell (Ian Mirfin) matched her 14 year-old compatriots quintet of events posting times of 18.31 (100m), 32.20 (200m), 1:09.20 (400m), 2:05.52 (800m) and 4:03.94, earning victories in all but one of those contests. Julie Rogers (Allen Adamson) posted a PB of 17.36 (+2.0) in the T42 100m.

Stockport’s Joshua Howard (Joe Frost) recorded a PB of 5.32m in the T38 long jump to finish in fifth with compatriot Luke Sinnott jumping 4.99m for sixth place.

Dan Powell (Paul Boyce) won the T11 400m in 56.06 after placing second in the 100m with a time of 13.19 (-1.9). Rotherham’s Reece Goodwin (Katie Jones) posted 13.63 in the T36 100m and 1:04.45 in the 400m which earned double victory. Futures athlete James Arnott (Ryan Freckleton) won the T46-47 100m, crossing the line in 11.53 (+0.4).

In the T20 100m and 400m Paul Davidson (Charles Forbes) ran 12.17 (+0.6) and 53.40 respectively. Ballymena’s James Hamilton took to the track in the T20 1500m and won the race in 4:09.70.

Mike Barker (Malcolm Wallace) threw a personal best in the F55-56 javelin, 22.70m. This added to a 7.75m mark in the shot put and 26.98m in the discus to wrap up the event.

Full results from the IPC Grand Prix in Grosseto can be found here: http://www.fidalservizi.it/risultati/2016/Grosseto_IPC_2016/Index.htm