Golden girl Kare sees off Cockroft

KARE Adenegan’s lifelong dream became reality in Berlin after storming her way to a maiden Championships title – before thanking her family on the finish line.

The 17-year-old has experienced medals aplenty in big competitions, including the Paralympic Games, but up until now the gold had eluded the Coventry wheelchair race.

All that changed on Wednesday thanks to a stirring performance at the World Para Athletics European Championships – an event best time of 17.38 seconds coming her way in the T34 100m.

She had to do it the hard way too, overcoming British teammate and Paralympic legend Hannah Cockroft – just as she did last month when smashing her idol’s world record at the Anniversary Games.

“It is very crazy, it’s such a dream,” said Adenegan, who was born with cerebral palsy.

“I can’t believe I have got a gold medal.

“After the world record at the Anniversary Games, I was just so excited in the first week – I couldn’t contain that and I just had to remind myself that it’s about the European Championships.

“I told myself on the line, this is for mum, this is for dad, this is for Job [King, coach]. They have sacrificed so much time and I am so thankful for them.

“It has been a tough year. I started A levels and I haven’t been training as much as I wanted to until recently. From the beginning of the year I just wanted to get gold – at least one, just once.”

Adenegan’s Championships isn’t over just yet either, with another chance to add to her collection coming in Saturday’s T34 800m.