22 March 2017

There were a number of wins for some of Britain’s finest para athletes on the third day of action in Dubai, with Maria Lyle (coach: Ryan Freckleton) and Sophie Hahn (Joe McDonnell) among the winners with significant personal bests for newcomers Luke Sinnott (Roger Keller) and Morgan Jones (Christian Malcolm).

Lyle continued her fine start to the season with a 14.83 (+1.0) clocking to win the combined T35/36/42 100m race. After moving to Oaklands College after the Paralympics last September, the 17 year-old T35 athlete has been working hard on getting into the best possible shape ahead the World Para Athletics Championships this summer, and has started with two fine race victories in Dubai.

Hahn (Joe McDonnell) won superbly in the combined T37/38 100m, with the T38 athlete storming to a time of 12.87 (+0.4) whilst Kadeena Cox (Brian Scobie) ran her first 100m since Rio, crossing the line in 13.77. T37 athlete Katrina Hart (Rob Ellchuk) recorded a mark of 14.99 in the same race.

There was another race victory for Paul Blake (Rob Ellchuk), his second of the week, this time in the 100m, a rare outing over the shorter sprint for the multiple Paralympic medallist. His time of 12.56 (+1.8) was enough to take the victory. However, second in the combined race was T35 athlete Jordan Howe (Christian Malcolm) who made it two PBs out of two for the week, this time clocking 12.75 over the 100m distance.

Plymouth’s James Arnott (Ryan Freckleton) T46 100m was another race winner on the day, the T46 sprinter clocking a time of 11.45 (-0.3). Welshman Morgan Jones (Christian Malcolm), a T47 athlete, set a lifetime best of 12.05 in the same race. Thames Valley athlete

Zac Shaw (Joe McDonnell) was the fastest in the T12 100m time trial races, his 11.32 (+1.0) time saw him take the win whilst compatriot James Ledger, competing in the other heat, set a time of 11.96 (+1.5) as he was fifth fastest. 

There was a significant personal best for Invictus Games gold medallist Luke Sinnott (Roger Keller) in the T42 long jump, as a leap of 5.73m added 17cm onto his previous best. Still relatively new to the sport, the Bournemouth-based athlete has made significant improvements to the sport recently and a third place in Dubai will have added to his confidence.

It was personal bests galore for Laura Sugar (Femi Akinsanya) in Rio last September, and it has been a promising start to 2017 for the Loughborough-based athlete, who ran 13.54 (+0.8) in the T44 100m at the Fazaa Championships for second place.

Later in the day, Paralympic T33 100m bronze medallist Andy Small (Rick Hoskins) returned to his favoured event posting a best of 18.27 (-0.5). His race preceded a British 1-2-3 in the T34 100m, Craig Boardman (Paul Smith) coming out on top with a time of 15.72 (-0.7) ahead of Nate Williams (Rick Hoskins) in 18.09 and Jamie Edwards (Jenny Archer) third in 18.57.

Luke Nuttall (Vince Wilson/Alison Wyeth) was third in the combined T20/37/T46 1500m race, with the T46 athlete producing a 4:19.62 performance. Also, Amar Aichoun (Jeffrey Lawal-Balogun) ran a solid 100m in the T38 race, 12.18 (-0.3) his effort on the day. In the T11 100m, Dan Powell (Joe McDonnell) was second with 12.54 (+1.7) whilst Souleyman Bah (Richard Holt) was fourth in the T13 100m, recording 11.87 (-0.7) which was just 0.03 seconds outside his all-time best.

In the throws, Joshua Bain (David Parker) enjoyed a mixed series in the F37 Discus but a big effort in round one of 44.03m saw him place second overall in a field of 12 athletes. Two-time Paralympian Kylie Grimes (Phil Peat) was the sole British representative in the F32/51 combined club throw, throwing three efforts over 18m, with her best coming in round four, a mark of 18.57m. Elsewhere, Birchfield’s Mike Barker (Malcolm Wallace) threw 24.18m in the F55 javelin to place just outside the podium.

Full results can be found on the Team Thomas website: http://www.team-thomas.org/