Cockroft straight back in the old routine with 100m gold on first night
Title number eight in a sprint world record Adenegan takes silver to make it British one-two
Another race, another victory. And ominously for her rivals, Hannah Cockroft is only getting quicker.
Already the holder of an incredible five Paralympic and seven world titles before she even lined up in London for the World Para Athletics Championships last night, Cockroft has long held a legitimate claim to the title of the most dominant sportsperson in Britain.
That she then secured world title number eight from team-mate Kare Adenegan with a triumphant T34 100m victory – and a world record to boot – was little surprise.
“I do expect myself to win,” said Cockroft. “I try not to put pressure on myself too much, but I know I’ve broken all the world records and I’m the fastest and fittest I’ve ever been, so there’s no reason anything should go wrong – touch wood.”
It did not. Untouchable for the bulk of her racing career, victory has rarely been in doubt for Cockroft from the moment she decides to enter a race. Rarely, but not quite never. She learnt the hard way to avoid complacency when Adenegan – aged 14 at the time – ended her sixyear unbeaten run in 2015.
Defeat sparked a renewed sense of fight in Cockroft. Never again would she be bored with her own dominance of the T34 division and, redoubling her focus, she was adamant that she had “very little room to make mistakes” in the build-up to these championships.
With 20 metres gone last night it looked as though an upset might again be on the cards with Adenegan starting stronger of the British pair. The teenager’s lead would prove short-lived.
By halfway, Cockroft had asserted her dominance and never looked back, pulling ever further clear to cross the line in a world record 17.18 seconds. Adenegan – already a triple Paralympic and world medallist at the age of 16 – took silver in 18.01 sec, while American Alexa Halko claimed bronze.
“I was getting a bit emotional,” said Cockroft of returning to the scene of her double gold-winning London Olympics glory. “The noise was so loud – we haven’t had that since London 2012 and it really is like coming home. I wanted to cry before I even started the race.
“I hope I did the crowd proud and I hope I can do them proud in the next two races I’ve got.”
Adenegan was a happy spectator at those London Games five years ago and was overjoyed to win a medal behind her idol.
“I was here watching Hannah at London 2012 and I’ve been inspired by her ever since,” she said. “To come back here and win a medal is a dream come true.
“I knew I have a strong start and I just wanted to utilise that for the rest of the race. My finish may not be that strong because I’m only 16 but I’m just so happy to win silver.”
Gemma Prescott completed the full set of British medals by adding bronze to Cockroft’s gold and Adenegan’s silver to ensure the home nation finished day one top of the medal table.
Twice a Paralympic bronze medallist, Prescott threw a best of 19.97m in the F32 club throw to finish third behind winner Mounia Gasmi, of Algeria.
“That was great,” said Prescott. “I just really enjoyed being out there.
“I would have liked to have thrown further, but it was about enjoying the experience and drinking in being out there.”
The night had begun on a sombre note with IPC president Sir Philip Craven paying tribute to UAE athlete Abdullah Hayayei, who tragically lost his life in an accident at an official training venue earlier this week.
Hayayei was training at Newham Leisure Centre when a discus cage somehow collapsed, causing a metal pole to fall on his head. A police investigation has been launched into the 36-year-old father of five’s death.
A moment’s silence was held in his honour last night and Craven presented a special medal for the head of the UAE delegation to take home to Hayayei’s widow.