Jonnie Peacock wins blade-running 100m heat
ParalympicsGB “bladerunner” Jonnie Peacock qualifies for the final of the 100m T44 sprint in emphatic style.
(sports footage from Channel 4)
In the first heat was Jonnie Peacock as well as the world champion Jerome Singleton from the USA and Brazil’s 200m gold medallist Alan Oliveira, and Peacock stormed to victory with a time of 11.08 seconds.
Singleton was second with a time of 11.46 seconds and Oliveira was third in 11.56 seconds.
In the second heat of the day Oscar Pistorius, the most famous Paralympian at this year’s Games, also won – though at 11.18 seconds at a slower pace than Peacock.
Running in the final alongside Singleton, Oliveira, Pistorius and Peacock will be the USA’s Jerome Leeper, China’s Liu Zhiming, the USA’s Richard Browne and South Africa’s Arnu Fourie. The final takes place tromorrow night at 9:24pm.
Check out all the events taking place on "Thrilling Thursday" at the Channel 4 News Paralympics website.
The race is the glamour event in the Paralympic Stadium – with Pistorius at the centre of the stage. The event was already steeped in controversy before the heats had even started, following a complaint from the South African team over the length of Brazilian runner Alan Oliveira’s blades. Oliveira had beaten Pistorius in the T44 200m final.
ParalympicsGB Athletics medals
Bethy Woodward, who runs under a T37 classification, brought home a silver medal in the 200m sprint. The 20-year-old had the night before, alongside Jenny McLouglin, Olivia Breen and Katrina Hart, won bronze in the 100m relay.
David Devine picked up a bronze in the T12 800m, the first track final of the evening.
