Halifax star Cockroft eyes triple defence and world record in London

FIVE-TIME Paralympic champion Hannah Cockroft remains determined to break her own 100m world record as she prepares for the World Para Athletics Championships.

The 24-year-old has been frustrated in her chase to beat her T34 100m time ahead of July’s championships in London.

She clocked 17.31secs in Switzerland in 2014, but has fallen short since, despite defending her 100m title in Rio last year in a Paralympic record time.

Now, the Halifax star says: “This year I would just love to break my 100m world record. I’ve been so close to it for the last three years and not been able to get it, so that’s my target at the moment. It’s frustrating me.”

Cockcroft, who has previously set records for the T34 200m, 400m and 800m, continued: “My target for the 800m was to go under two minutes on my own and I’ve already done that one, so I need a new target there. Last year, I was struggling to break two minutes 10 seconds, but now I’ve done a one minute 59 seconds. I’m stronger, faster and with a bit of rest and good weather I can go even faster.”

Cockroft is also eyeing a triple defence in London after winning the 100m, 400m and 800m at the World Para Athletics Championships in Doha two years ago.

She spent winter training in Australia and, after a fine start to her summer programme, including her 1-59.44 in the 800m at the BUCS Outdoor Championships this month, Cockroft believes she can go faster.

“It’s going to be really hard to win three titles, I am definitely targeting to retain them, but the competition gets harder every year,

“New girls come through, they get quicker and I’m going to have to keep up with that. It’s going to be harder than Rio, but that was harder than Doha and Doha was harder than what was before.”