Sammi Kinghorn wins T53 100m gold in World Para Athletics Championships
Last Updated: 23/07/17 8:04pm
Sammi Kinghorn clinched her second gold of the World Para Athletics Championships when she triumphed in the T53 100 metres in London.
The 21-year-old won in 16.65 seconds at the London Stadium, adding the title to her T53 200m crown, and beating Australia's Angela Ballard into second.
A thrilled Kinghorn said: "It's a really big surprise, I couldn't believe it when my name flashed up.
"I thought maybe I'd come second because I knew no-one on one side had beaten me. Once we'd rolled over the line everyone catches up quite quickly so I really didn't know.
"I feel like I'm never going to sleep again. This week has been incredible."
However, she failed to add a medal in the T53 800 metres event, finishing fifth but remains delighted with her haul: "Hopefully one day I can be unbeatable.
"It's tough, in para sport, someone can come in after an accident and rise pretty quickly.
"That's the excitement in para sport, you don't know who will come in. You want people chasing you and that excitement.
"I feel like I'm never going to sleep again. This week has been incredible. I'd love to be as good as Tatyana McFadden and compete against every distance and smash them all.
"I'd love to be the first T53 to go under 16 seconds, so that's my aim between now and Tokyo (2020 Paralympics).
"I hoped I'd win one medal, but to win three - two gold and one bronze - has been incredible. It's going to take a month to sink in."
Kinghorn's victory capped a fine Sunday morning for the British team.
Polly Maton was the silver medallist in the women's T47 long jump, Jordan Howe was second in the men's T35 100m and Mickey Bushell claimed a silver in the men's T53 100m.
Bushell fell just short of repeating his success from London 2012, finishing behind Canada's Brent Lakatos in 14.85s.
But the Brit's second place comes after disappointment at last year's Rio Paralympics when he could only finish sixth in his title defence.
"I've gone from sixth in Rio to second here," he said. "What a city to do it in as well, in front of a home crowd.
"I've just trained, kept my head down and trained hard. This year I've had no health issues and this is what happens when I'm not ill. I'm back up there with the best again."
Long jumper Maton grabbed T47 silver with her final jump, leaping from fourth to second with a lifetime best of 5.23m.
And Howe also claimed silver in the T35 100m with a personal best of 12.52s.
Great Britain finished third in the medal table with 39 - comfortably beating their 26-30 target.
