Hurricane Hannah blows opposition away to grab second Paralympic gold in T34 200m
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'Hurricane' Hannah Cockroft destroyed her competition and the Paralympic record to win her second gold medal at the Olympic Stadium.
The 20-year-old claimed she felt like she was 'flying' after a dominant run in qualifying this morning and lived up to her nickname in emphatic fashion by storming to T34 200 metres glory.
The Halifax racer, the world record holder and already the 100m champion, finished in 31.90 seconds, more than two seconds clear of the field.
Golden moment: Hannah Cockroft (centre) with her prize
Ecstasy: Cockroft celebrates her magnificent victory
So dominant is she at the event that, racing from lane six, she was already passed the two competitors outside her after barely 20m and was streets clear by the time she crossed the line.
She insisted, though, victory had not been a foregone conclusion.
‘I was in doubt on that one,’ she said. ‘Even though the 200 is my favourite event, it’s my best event, it’s also a lot of the other girls’ favourite event — they were like, “we’re coming to get you”.
‘I was very nervous on that start line. I hit the top speed I’ve hit the entire Games on that race. I can’t complain, Paralympic record.
Streaks ahead: Cockroft leads the way
She added: ‘Four years of training, constant dieting, eating well, good sleeping habits and no partying — that’s all going to change tonight.’
‘This summer has been breathtaking. It’s been amazing, a dream come true. This is what I worked for four years for and I’ve actually done it now. I’ve got nothing to do now with my life, just work for Rio.’
Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now' played as the racers lined up on the start line and there was never a chance of anyone halting Cockroft as she roared home.
Her smiling salute to the cameras when she was introduced to the crowd was a measure of her justifiable confidence. Meanwhile, Melissa Nicholls finished the race in seventh.
Full pelt: Cockroft gave it all as she took her second medal
Earlier, the son of a Star Wars bounty hunter claimed his second medal of the Games with an 800m bronze as the Russian challenge again proved too tough to crack.
Paul Blake, whose actor father played Greedo in the first film in the saga, was pipped to the T36 400m title by Evgenii Shvetcov, who celebrated another victory on Thursday night.
Blake, 22, who has cerebral palsy tracked his rival for the first lap and then went ahead with 300m to go, but Shvetcov had plenty in reserve, quickly passing him again.
The Dorchester athlete was passed by another Russian, Artem Arefyev, on the final bend and ran out of strength down the home straight, but he was well clear in third to come home in 2mins 08.24secs.
Pipped: Paul Blake (right) got bronze
He said: 'The race went exactly to plan, but I was a bit tired after the 400m on Tuesday night. I kicked early and he (Shvetcov) just caught up with me with 200m to go.'
Blake's bronze followed quickly after a bronze for Ben Rushgrove in the 200m, the 24-year-old clocking a new personal best of 24.83s to finish well clear of team-mate Graeme Ballard, the 100m silver medallist, in fourth.
Rushgrove, who also has cerebral palsy, could not keep the smile off his face when the crowd cheered his introduction, but he stayed focused, starting well and running a good bend to make the podium in the T36 race.
Olivia Breen was eighth in the T38 200m but the medals kept coming think and fast for Great Britain as Ola Abidogun produced a storming finish to take bronze in the T46 200m.
The 19-year-old came through strongly at the end to finish in 11.23.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-2199420/London-2012-Paralympics-Hannah-Cockroft-wins-T34-200m-gold.html#ixzz25jjpNqL4
