Paralympics day 11: Hannah Cockroft continues golden run in Tokyo
The 29-year-old is within four golds of matching Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson as Britain’s most successful athletics Paralympian.
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Your support makes all the difference.A painful hand injury was not enough to stop Hannah Cockroft from cruising to the second gold medal of her Tokyo campaign and the seventh Paralympic gold of her career.
The 29-year-old battled wet weather and a cut to her right hand as she defended her T34 800m crown in a time of 1:48.99 – more than 10 seconds ahead of British silver medallist Kare Adenegan.
American Alexa Halko prevented ParalympicsGB from dominating the podium as she pipped Briton Fabienne Andre for bronze.
Yorkshire-born Cockroft sported strapping on her hand after putting it through the wheel while her chair was moving.
She said: “To come here with a gammy hand, I’m happy,” she said.
“I put my hand through the wheel, while the chair was moving – I’ve never done it before.
“Wheelchairs and rain don’t mix so I slipped off the rim and there’s not really much space to slip into so it went straight in.
“My hand went straight round but luckily a coach was stood with me. It’s pretty bloody but it’s fine.”
Asked if she considered pulling out, she replied: “No. Never. The doctors and everyone looked like they were going to lean that way but I was ‘no way.’
“Even if my hand’s fallen off I was going to be on that start line. My hand’s a bit sore so I’m struggling to grip a little bit so they just tied my hand a bit tighter.
“I was hoping it wouldn’t rain. Obviously it’s been a shocking few days for the rain but there we go.”
Cockroft’s victory moves her within four golds of matching Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson as Britain’s most successful athletics Paralympian.
Great Britain also dominated in the water at the Sea Forest Waterway, as Charlotte Henshaw eclipsed Emma Wiggs for gold in the KL2 kayak.
The 34-year-old former swimmer beat her compatriot by just 0.649secs – adding to her incredible run since switching from the pool in early 2017.
The victory adds a Paralympic gold to the SB6 breaststroke silver and bronze which she claimed in London and Rio respectively.
Henshaw said: “I didn’t switch sports to win a gold medal but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to complete the set.
“It’s lovely with a bronze and a silver but it looks much better with one of each colour.”
Ex-sprinter Laura Sugar also claimed gold on Saturday, winning the women’s KL3 competition, while there was VL3 bronze for Stuart Wood in the men’s events.
Picture of the day
Social media moment
The colour of the medal did not matter for Brazilian Ricardo Gomes de Mendonca, who had a golden celebration for his bronze victory in the men’s T37 200m.
Figure of the day
What’s coming up on Sunday?
The Games conclude with the closing ceremony, prior to which the marathons round off the athletics action, which includes wheelchair racer David Weir in the men’s event.
And Great Britain’s men’s wheelchair basketball team will take on Spain in the bronze medal match.