Lyle secures bronze to build on strong start

Maria Lyle shook off a heel injury to contribute to another night of glory for the UK at the world para athletics championships in London.

The 17-year-old from Dunbar, matching her placing at last summer’s Paralympics in Rio, landed bronze in the 200 metres T35 final in 29.87 seconds as Australian rival Isis Holt defended her title. Yet that, said the cerebral palsy sprinter, was more than she could have hoped for just days earlier.

“My fascia got inflamed so I was only able to sprint last Wednesday,” revealed Lyle, who will race the 100m later this week. “A week ago, I couldn’t run so to come here and do a season’s best, I can’t ask for more than that.”

Elsewhere, Jonnie Peacock regainedhis100mt44titlein 10.75 seconds while Welshman Aled Davies made it a third F42 discus title in a row to extend the hosts’ lead at the top of the medal standings. Northern Irishman Jason Smyth claimed his sixth world gold, surging clear in the 100m T13 final to win in 10.63.

Meanwhile, Laura Muir continued her build-up to the IAAF world championships with a comfortable 1500 metres win in Padova last night in 4:05.01. Eilidh Doyle took third place behind world champion Zuzana Hejnova in the 400m hurdles at the Diamond League meeting in Rabat in 54.92 secs.

Her Pitreavie club-mate Jack Lawrie was seventh in the 400 hurdles at the European Under-23 Championships in Bydgoszcz with Neil Gourley edged into fourth in Saturday’s 1500m final.