Kinghorn joy at world 100m bronze after tough year

• Scot puts injury woes behind her and aims to ‘fight for higher medal in Tokyo’

Sammi Kinghorn has been through the wringer this year so was blown away with bronze at the World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai.

The 23-year-old Scot came into the T53 100 metre final as reigning champion and after an injury-ravaged season, emerged with bronze in a time of 16.64 seconds with a tailwind.

Kinghorn, who only went under the knife five months ago, was delighted to make the podium behind the dominant Chinese duo Fang Gao, who broke the championship record, and Hongzhuan Zhou.

“I’m so happy with the bronze,” said Kinghorn.

“Obviously, it’s tough when you come in as the defending champion but after the year I have had, I am so pleased to make it on to the podium. My family will all agree.

“I got a much better start than in my heat but I kind of slipped a few times. I sort of panicked.

But that’s fine – if I came off the track saying everything was perfect, I’d be pretty worried.

“Even coming away with a world bronze, I know I can do even better.”

Kinghorn is expecting to contend for medals at her second Paralympics in Tokyo after finishing fifth in the 100m in Rio before suffering disqualification in the 400m.

“I was honestly thinking I’d be top five after the year I’ve had, but I’ll be ready to fight for a higher medal in Tokyo,” she said.

“It gives me so much confidence for next year because I know I can go a lot faster than that. There’s going to be a tough training block ahead, but I’m now focused to be on that podium.”

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