13th May 2013

PARALYMPIANS IN FINE FORM IN ITALY AND HOLLAND

13 May 2013

There were some fine performances over the weekend from GB & NI’s Paralympians, as members of the team headed out to Italy and Holland in preparation for this summer’s IPC World Championships in July.

2013 Italian Open Athletics Championships, IPC Athletics Grand Prix, Grosetto 

Following two world records from Aled Davies (coach: Anthony Hughes) and Hannah Cockroft (Jenni Banks) last weekend, Mel Nicholls (Job King) made it three as she took four seconds off Deborah Brennan’s 10 year old 1500m T34 world record to post a time of 4:12.56 and eclipse the previous mark of 4:16.31.

Nicholls said:  "It is an amazing feeling to break a world record, it hasn’t quite sunk in yet. As a distance I have only ever raced once before (in Birmingham), I hope it is a sign of my continuing improvement of form over all my distances and for the future."

Double Paralympic champion Cockroft continued her impressive start to the season, clocking the fastest times in the 100m (18.16), 200m (31.86), 400m (62.49) and 800m (2:04.49).

David Weir’s (Jenny Archer) training partner Jamie Carter (Archer) showed his undoubted potential, with four victories in T33/34 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m. Isaac Towers and Oliver Taylor (King) proved close competition for Carter throughout, and the 18 year old will now have his sights set on a place on the GB & NI team for Lyon.

Lee Whiteley (Keith Hunter) continued his impressive start to 2013 with victories in the T38* 100m (12.81) and 200m (25.71). 

Paralympic Games T51 100m finalist Stephen Osbourne (Banks) also secured a hat-trick of victories in the 100m, 200m and 400m in Grosetto.

There was a top two finish for GB & NI in the women’s T11/13 400m, as Erin McBride (Robert Roberts) saw off Lisa Daley (Vicky Huyton) in a time of 1:01.61.

Holland

London 2012 discus gold medallist Aled Davies continued on from his fine performance at the BUCS Championships last weekend by winning both the F42 discus (45.73m) and the shot put (14.07m).

Kyron Duke (Hughes) also won gold in the F40 shot put, throwing 11.38m and also took victory in the javelin (34.18m) in treacherous conditions. Nathan Stephens (Hughes) took second place in the F57 javelin with a throw of 37.20m and in his first discus competition in 16 months, the 25 year old produced one of his best ever throws with a distance of 39.90m.

Hollie Arnold (Hughes) got her season off to a flying start and was within 30cm of her lifetime best with her best throw in the javelin of 35.97m.

Josh Clarke (Hughes) also had to contend with poor weather conditions, as the 19 year old threw 36.06m in the F37 javelin.   

In his first ever shot put competition, F53 athlete Richard Powell took an impressive bronze medal with a throw of 7.40m.

*Lee Whiteley is a review athlete, so his result will not be confirmed until his classification has been ratified.

For a full list of results, please visit: http://www.fidalservizi.it/risultati/grosseto2013/Index.htm

You can watch some of the world’s best Paralympic athletes at the Sainsbury’s Grand Prix – Birmingham, which will host the IPC Athletics Grand Final. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased here