Scottish duo happy to settle for bronze
SCOTLAND’S Sammi Kinghorn fell just short in her bid for double gold at the World Para-Athletics Championships in London last night with bronze in the 400metre T53 final.
The 21-year-old Borderer threatened a shock win but was then forced to hold off Canada’s Angela Ballard by twohundredths of a second to snatch third place in 55.71 with China’s Hongzhuan Zhou taking victory ahead of American Chelsea McClammer.
‘I was throwing everything at it,’ Kinghorn, who triumphed in the T53 200m final on Saturday, said. ‘I was thinking it must be close. I really didn’t have much left, so I was so glad to hang on for a bronze medal.’
After coming in third in the T35 200m last weekend, fellow Scot Maria Lyle was part of a repeat 1-2-3 in the 100m final with her Australian rival Isis Holt defending her title by lowering her world record to 13.43secs to nudge out Paralympic champion Zhuo Xia of China.
‘I’ve been injured coming into these championships so to come out with two bronze medals is a good thing for me,’ the 17-year-old from Dunbar said.
‘You don’t get these opportunities often so I saw all the good physios at British Athletics to sort me out.’
Lyle could not walk last week because of the painful left leg injury but now she is the proud holder of two medals from this week’s Championships. Both will go with the rest of the haul which the modest teenager keeps — in a box by her bed.
‘It was only this week I was able to run,’ she explained. ‘Last week I wasn’t able to walk so it has been a quick turnaround. I was preparing myself not to run, so to finish third in both races and get medals, I couldn’t ask for any more.
‘It’s my first time in this stadium. I remember watching it (London 2012) on the TV and thinking: “I want to be there”. It’s amazing getting this opportunity. London holds the best events for para-sports, so hopefully it will come here again.
‘We’ve got the British crowd and they’re so open-minded towards our para-athletes. At previous World Championships, we had nobody in the stadium.’
When asked about her medals, Lyle said: ‘I keep them all in a box. I don’t show them off. I’m not like that. I hide them. I’m just going to celebrate and eat a curry. Korma, pilau rice, naan bread and I’ll be happy.’