24 June 2010

Paralympic Games medallists Mickey Bushell (coach: Fred Periac) and Shelly Woods (coach: Pete Wyman) have clocked brilliant new World Records in the Arbon WCR Meeting in Ibach, Switzerland this afternoon (Thursday 24 June).

Bushell, Beijing Paralympic Games silver medallist, reduced his own T53 100m World Record when clocking 14.47 for victory and erasing the previous best of 14.69 – set almost a year ago to the day – in near-perfect conditions.

The 20-year-old, who finished runner-up in the Paralympic World Cup in Manchester in May, is now targeting a World Record mark in the 200m.

“I knew I was in shape because I was doing 14.3s and 14.4s last weekend,” said Bushell, who has set his sights on four events – 100m 200m, 400m and 800m – when competing for the Aviva Great Britain and Northern Ireland team in the IPC Athletics World Championships in January 2011.

Having consistently demonstrated his talent over the shorter distances, Bushell, who secured four victories from four in the British Wheelchair Racing Association (BWRA) Championships in Stoke in early May, is now aiming for World Championships qualifying marks in the one lap and half mile events. “It would be brilliant if I could qualify for all four in New Zealand,” he said.

While Bushell reduced his own world mark, Woods recorded her first ever World Record performance with an outstanding 3:21.22 for 1500m at the same venue.

The time was impressive in its own right, but the mark she erased belonged to none other than Chantal Petitclerc, one of the best known Paralympians of all time after winning a total of ten gold medals in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008. Not only that, but she smashed the previous mark by three seconds.

“I haven’t even warmed down yet,” said the Beijing Paralympics multi medallist, I’m not even sure what my official time was! I can’t believe it’s my first ever World record – I’ve always wanted one! I knew I could do it; I’ve been working on my speed and my start recently and it’s all come together.”

Having arrived in Switzerland following a “nightmare” journey from the States, Woods, who finished on the podium in all four of her events in last weekend’s USA National Paralympic Championships, was delighted just to make it. “They lost my racing chair,” she said, “I only got it back last night.”

Having recorded one World Record – and got her chair back – there’s nothing stopping her now: “I’ve still got the 800m and 5000m to go, so there’s definitely more to come,” she said.

Woods completes her programme of events this evening.