T&T’s Nyoshia Cain repeated as the women’s 100 metres T44 bronze medallist yesterday at the World Para Athletics Championships in London, England.
Running in lane five at the Olympic Stadium, Cain got to the line in a time of 13.25 seconds.
A new champion was crowned with Sophie Kamlish of Great Britain winning in 12.92 out of lane six. The single-leg amputee, who clocked a world record of 12.90 in heat one earlier, was 0.02 secs outside that mark in taking gold ahead of The Netherland’s Marlou van Rhijn, a double amputee, in a final that had to be restarted after American Femita Ayanbeku running in lane three, was disqualified for a false start.
When the final did get on the way, Cain, who was born with hemihyperplasia (meaning that part of one side of the body is larger than the other), got out well and was positioned in second place until some 15 metres from the line, when double world and Paralympic champion Rhijn in lane four, sprinted past the local runner to cop silver in 13.20.
Kamlish, not surprisingly, entered as the favourite after her brilliant run in the heats, to qualify for the medal race with quickest time. Cain, who back in 2015 at the World event won bronze in 13.31 and a year later placed third at the Paralympics (13.10), ran a season’s best 13.21 in heat two, to cross in the same time as Rhijn.
Cain will now focus on the women’s 200m T44 event. The heats are set for Saturday with the final to run off the following day.
Also yesterday, Ronald Carlos Greene placed fifth in the men’s discus F11 event. His best throw came on his third try and he measured of 28.15. His other marks were 26.42 and 25.53 in his first two attempts, respectively and 27.79 in his fourth try, 27.48 and 26.60 in his fifth and sixth.
Taking first place was Brazilian Alessandro Rodrigo Silva (43.32), second was Bil Marinkovic of Austria (33.42) and Colombia’s Jose Alexis Belizario Angulo was third with a personal best throw of 32.46.
Today, Akeem Stewart, the world record-holder and Rio Paralympics gold medallist, competes in the men’s javelin event. Stewart will be looking to better his fourth place finish with a 54.77-throw at the 2015 meet.
Jabari Knight will also be in action today, competing in the men’s 200m T54 event. The T&T wheelchair athlete finished eighth in 17.16 in his men’s 100m T54 qualifying heat on Friday, and did not advance to the final.