British Wheelchair racer Hannah Cockroft lit up the World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe, Japan after she secured her seventh title, an unprecedented 15th world gong, a feat that will bode well for her leading up to the Paris Paralympics later in the year.
Competing in the T34 100m, who first won this title back in 2011 in Christchurch, she clocked 16.89 seconds. Chinese athlete Lan Hanyu earned silver medal in 18.95 seconds. Moe Onodera of Japan took bronze, just ahead of Britain’s Fabienne André.
“Number seven – that sounds amazing,” said Cockroft speaking after the race. “Every title at this point is a relief. I watch my team-mates and see the excitement and the happiness, and I want to respond like that but when I cross that line it is a sigh of relief, because I am the one with the target on my back.
“The 100m is the hard one, so I am delighted to win the title, and I am looking forward to the 800m and relay now.”
The Paralympics start on the 28th of August and provided the perfect opportunity for the athletes to gauge and where they are leading up to Paris. Cockroft echoed this sentiment.
Photo: Kobe2024 / Moto Yoshimura
“Coming to this world championship was all about seeing all these new girls who are coming through. I knew they’d be around for the Paris Paralympic Games, so for me it was about grabbing the opportunity to see where they were at, and I can see there is a lot of talent.”
“I think over the next few years I am going to have some battles on my hands. But hopefully right now I’ve sent a message that I am pushing strong, and I am still on top.”
Seven-Times T34 100m Wheelchair Racing Champion, Britain’s Hannah Cockroft
Cockroft was back in action on Thursday. “I’ve got the 800m heats on Thursday, which I’m really excited for. We’ve never had heats for the event at a worlds before, so that is very exciting and shows the amount of girls coming through. And then I have the relay which is a big challenge, and I really want to do the team proud.”
Photo: Kobe2024 / Moto Yoshimura
The South African contingent saw Louzanne Coetzee win a bronze medal after running a season best 04:50:78 to claim bronze in the women’s 1500m T11. Liezel Gouws set a season’s best in the Women’s 400m T37.
SA Sportswoman of the Year with Disability, Simoné Kruger, the current world record holder in the F38 discus event, will take to the field on Saturday 25 May.
Competing on Africa Day, she’ll be aiming to make the continent smile while aiming for further victories as the Paris Paralympic Games fast approach.
Main Photo Caption: Competing in the T34 100m, British Wheelchair racer Hannah Cockroft lit up the World Para Athletics Championships after she secured her seventh title in Kobe, Japan. Photo: Kobe2024 / Moto Yoshimura
Photo 2 Caption: “The 100m is the hard one, so I am delighted to win the title, and I am looking forward to the 800m and relay now.” Photo: Kobe2024 / Moto Yoshimura
Photo 3 Caption: Hannah Cockroft smiling proudly after the Universal Relay with Team Great Britain on Friday evening. Photo: Kobe2024 / Moto Yoshimura
Main Photo Caption: Competing in the T34 100m, British Wheelchair racer Hannah Cockroft lit up the World Para Athletics Championships after she secured her seventh title in Kobe, Japan. Photo: Kobe2024 / Moto Yoshimura
Photo 2 Caption: “The 100m is the hard one, so I am delighted to win the title, and I am looking forward to the 800m and relay now.” Photo: Kobe2024 / Moto Yoshimura
Photo 3 Caption: Hannah Cockroft smiling proudly after the Universal Relay with Team Great Britain on Friday evening. Photo: Kobe2024 / Moto Yoshimura
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