More gold for Aled
ATHLETICS
ALED DAVIES struck gold again at the World Para Athletics Championships in London with victory in the F42 discus.
The 26-year-old from Bridgend has now won five world championship golds having won shot and discus events at the last two World Championships.
Davies came to prominence with victory in the F42 discus at London 2012, but the event was dropped from the Paralympic programme for Rio last year.
He focused on the shot put and won his second Paralympic gold in Brazil.
Davies, whose impairment affects his right leg, won a third discus world title with a best throw of 51.54m.
He has been concentrating on shot put since the change to the Paralympic programme, but his victory saw him reflect on his London 2012 success: “Five years ago my life changed, throwing a plate in a field further than anybody else.
“That performance (today) was for the crowd. I remember that day and it was the way they carried me. I shouldn’t have won that event – I really shouldn’t have – but I did.
“And today it was nice to be out there. At the end when I went over (to the crowd) there were people saying they saw me that Sunday.
“I was like ‘oh wow, they’ve been following me all the way through’. If I could I’d stay out there and thank everyone. That was really special.
“It’s quite emotional, but I’m trying to keep it together.
“I’m looking to do something really special in the shot next Saturday night.
“That’s the one for me. That’s the one we’ve been building towards all year.”