World titles for McKillop & Smyth
Jason Smyth and Michael McKillop completed another superb double for Irish athletics by winning their 200m and 800m finals respectively at the IPC Athletics World Championships in Lyon.
McKillop first of all eclipsed the world record he set in winning the T27 800m gold at London 2012 by soundly beating the rest of the field in the same manner as he did in London.
The Antrim athlete broke ahead of the bell, leaving Australian Brad Scott behind, and in firing away in the final lap clocked 1:57.17, shaving 0.05 off his world record from London.
Scott claimed his fourth career Championship silver – all behind McKillop – with South African youngster Charl du Toit third.
McKillop said: "I'm very happy with that. I didn't expect the time. When you're out on your own all you want do is keep chasing and chasing and thankfully that's what resulted in the time.
"I just try to come across the line first, that's my aim and if the time comes that's a bonus. I wasn't looking for times, just looking to win. I'm happy enough to go away prepare and rest up for the 1,500m and do the double.
"Championship racing is about coming across the line first, but so is running quick. To run 1:57 of my own is a good thing. Now I just need to recover for the 1,500m.
"It's really, really hot to run in this heat, but it's the same for all athletes to see who can deal with heat the best. The backroom staff gave me a towel with ice for the call room and I warmed up with a towel round me as well."
Jason Smyth declared his disappointment in only equalling his world record of 21.05 in winning the T13 200m crown in impressive fashion.
A lá London, Smyth powered out of the blocks and was unstoppable as he thundered around the Lyon track to win his first ever World Championship title, having skipped the previous Worlds in Christchurch two years ago.
Nambala Johannes of Namibia was a distant second, with Jonathan Ntutu of South Africa third.
With Moscow and the IAAF World Championships still a possibility, Smyth said: "I was coming for the gold medal even if my previous times on this distance were not relevant.
“I won but I did not break my own world record so I only achieved one of my two objectives. I always try to be as good as possible and to reach my potential. I feel confident about the upcoming races."
Elsewhere, the T43 200m world record of Oscar Pistorius was shattered by the man who took his scalp in London, Alan Oliveira.
The Brazilian recorded a new mark of 20.66, almost a second inside Pistorius’ old time.
Heather Jameson was 7th in her T37 200m semi-final, while Catherine O’Neill was fifth in the F51/52/53 discus that she won in 2011, with Orla Barry eighth in the women’s F55/56/57 shot put.
