World and Paralympic champion Hannah Cockroft among a number of world record breakers at IPC Athletics Grand Prix in Nottwil, Switzerland
Hannah Cockroft broke not one but two world records at the IPC Athletics Grand Prix in Nottwil, Switzerland.
On the opening day of action, the multiple world and Paralympic gold medallist clocked 30.86 to smash her own T34 200m world record by 0.37 seconds before lowering her previous world best time for the 100m to 17.31 on the following day.
Speaking after her 200m world record, she said: “It was great to post such a fast time in my first IPC Athletics Grand Prix of the season. I’m delighted with the record, although I know I can go faster looking at my training times.
“This shows I’m in great form ahead of August’s European Championships when hopefully I can lower the record again.”
Aided by a 1.9m/s tailwind, the 21 year-old, who claimed Paralympic golds over both sprint distances in London two years ago, beat a field which included six of the eight London 2012 finalists.
On Saturday, Cockroft returned to the track to shave 0.23 seconds from her own 100m world record set in May 2013.
“I’m really happy with that as it felt really fast,” she said. “I’m getting faster all the time and believe this year I can go sub 17 seconds.”
Earlier on in the day and Cockroft had also claimed victory in the T34 800m as she pipped Rosemary Little on the line, clocking 2:14.33 to the Australian’s 2:14.54.
Her winning ways continued on the final day of the Grand Prix meeting as she clocked 1:03.29 for 400m victory.
Fellow Briton Mel Nicholls joined Cockroft in breaking records as she took almost a second off her own T34 1500m word record in clocking 4:11.60.
“I was really happy with my pushing but I didn’t expect it to be a world record due to the wind, so I’m delighted,” said Nicholls.
“As my roomie [Hannah Cockroft] got a world record [in the 200m] yesterday I had to match her today. It was a challenging race, but great fun.”
Six-time Paralympic gold medallist David Weir went head-to-head with home favourite Marcel Hug over T54 10,000m on the first day of action, Hug victorious with 21:16.21 ahead of Weir’s 21:16.31.
Hug again came out on top in the 800m, clocking 1:38.22 to Weir’s 1:38.39, and the 1500m (3:16.52 to 3:16.70).
But Weir turned the tables over 400m, the 34-year-old beating not only Hug but also Germany’s Marc Schuh and Kenny Van Weeghel of the Netherlands, the T54 world medallists. Weir clocked 47.50 ahead of Hug’s 47.62.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve won a 400m,” commented Weir. “After Beijing I retired from it because I was so disappointed with the final.
“It’s good to beat the guys who train for the 400m. I’m happy now as I’ve got a win but not in the distance I thought I’d win.”
Hug won the final head-to-head battle between the two athletes, clocking 10:21.60 to Weir’s 10:21.73 over 5000m on the final day of competition.
Elsewhere, Russia’s Magrarita Goncharova broke Briton Sophie Hahn’s T38 100m world record with 13.09 on Saturday, only for Hahn to claim it back again with 13.04 at the Loughborough International on Sunday. Also in Loughborough, Maria Lyle broke the T35 100m world record, the 14-year-old clocking 14.83.
Marlou Van Rhijn, running the day after winning the 100m at the Great CityGames in Manchester, broke her own T43 400m world record with 1:00.78 to take 0.32 seconds off her previous best.
Britain’s Stef Reid won both the T44 100m and long jump, while Mickey Bushell finished runner up to Canada’s Brent Lakatos, who set a world record, in the T53 100m.
Over at the Somerset County Athletics Championships and Rob Womack broke the 22-year-old British F55 discus record with 35.31m.
» Results can be found here
