Tokyo Paralympics: Great Britain’s Hannah Cockroft wins third successive 100m gold

Hannah Cockroft set a new world record to win her third consecutive T34 100m crown and claim a stunning sixth Paralympic title, as Great Britain enjoyed a superb day five in Tokyo.

Cockroft, 29, bettered her own record with a time of 16.39 seconds to overhaul team-mate Kare Adenegan, who took silver ahead of Australia’s Robyn Lambird.

There were two rowing golds as GB’s PR2 mixed double sculls pair Lauren Rowles and Laurence Whiteley, and the PR3 mixed coxed four team, successfully defended their respective Paralympic titles.

Rowles and Whiteley, who are also the reigning world and European champions, won by 4.86 seconds from the Netherlands, while China took bronze.

The mixed four of 2016 gold medallist James Fox, plus Ellen Buttrick, Ollie Stanhope, Giedre Rakauskaite and cox Erin Kennedy finished 11.05 seconds clear of closest challengers USA.

In the triathlon, GB’s Lauren Steadman was victorious in a women’s PTS5 event which also saw Claire Cashmore win bronze, while George Peasgood earned silver behind Rio champion Martin Schulz in the men’s race.

Defending champion Will Bayley, who, like Steadman, is a former Strictly Come Dancing contestant, had to settle for silver as he was beaten by China’s Yan Shuo in the table tennis men’s singles class seven – losing 3-1 in the final after taking the first game.

In judo, GB’s Elliot Stewart lost in the men’s -90kg final while Chris Skelley goes in the -100kg gold medal-match later on Sunday.

And the GB wheelchair rugby team take on the USA at 10:00 BST in their gold-medal match.

Wheelchair racer Cockroft, a 12-time world champion, increased her impressive collection of Paralympic titles in style, following her treble in the 100m, 400m and 800m events at Rio 2016.

The ParalympicsGB co-captain, who will also contest the 800m in Tokyo, had improved her world records in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m earlier this year.

And though Adenegan, who clocked 17.03, made the faster start, Cockroft overhauled her fellow Briton.

“This last 18 months has been so weird and so, so hard. I just wish the stadium had been full to witness that,” Cockroft told Channel 4.

“It’s so special. It just feels like a massive, massive relief. We didn’t know if we’d be here in Tokyo. I was so nervous. I did everything I could and thankfully it was enough.

“I know Kare is a strong starter. She’s always good off the gun so I knew I had to let her go and take my time.”

On aiming for the 800m title next, she added: “The 800m is my comfortable event now. I am confident but it’s all to play for.”

Agencies