It was a spectacular IPC Athletics World Championships for the Welsh contingent of the British Athletics team as 30% of Gold medals won were by Welsh athletes and 16% of the overall medals won in Doha.
Two of Britain’s Thirteen Gold medals won were by Bridgend born Aled Sion Davies who retained both his world titles from Lyon two years ago in the F42 Shot Put and F42 Discus. The Welshman was in commanding form, from start to finish to win the double and threw an official world record of 49.59m in round five of the F42 discus. The ‘bear’ as he is known also threw a Championship record 14.95m in the F42 Shot Put to claim gold, just 10 weeks after undergoing a hernia operation.
Davies said: “I’m delighted to bring home two Gold medals and retain my titles. The discus was one of the most consistent competitions ever for me. Six of the throws were in and four of them were over the old world record. I’m pain free as well which is the main thing.
“Ten weeks ago I never thought I would be here so I probably owe both my gold medals to the British Athletics medical team because they have put a lot of hard work in and without them, I wouldn’t have done it and now all my focus goes on Rio 2016.”
Welsh based Hollie Arnold also retained her Gold medal from Lyon in the F46 javelin title that she won at the previous world championship in splendid style, setting a championship record of 40.53m.
Arnold was delighted to win the title in Doha stating “I’m over the moon – I’m really happy with my performance. I did want to go out there and break the world record, but in this heat, I was melting. I know there is more to come which is a massive positive.
There was a Gold for Olivia Breen who ran the first 100m in the women’s T35-38 4x100m relay team the GB women obliterated the world record, setting a time of 52.22 to cruise to victory.
Breen was in fine form in Doha as she set a lifetime best of 28.06 in the T38 200m and got another outstanding PB in the T38 Long Jump Final with a jump of 4.27m but on both occasions finish narrowly outside the medals in fourth position.
After disappointment in the shot put Kyron Duke was delighted to confirm the bronze medal in the F41 javelin. The Welshman threw a season’s best of 37.99m in round two to add a fourth world medal to his trophy-cabinet.
Duke said “I am over the moon, I couldn’t have done much better. Onwards and upwards to the future in Rio 2016.”
On the track there was another close finish which saw Jenny Mcloughlin miss out on a bronze medal to finish fourth with a seasons best of 30.05. Running in lane eight, the Wales-based athlete ran a strong, composed race, but was just squeezed out of the medals by a fast-finishing Johanna Benson of Namibia.
Mcloughlin spoke after her race: “I’m pleased with fourth but I would have loved to have been on that medal table, maybe next year. It was great to run in the world final and I’m happy with how I performed.”
Jordan Howe was in reflective mood after a fifth place finish in the T35 100m final. The 20 year old talented youngster is showing the sort of form that will put him in medal contention over the next few years. A 13.15 clocking on the day saw him outside the medals but the St Mellon’s born sprinter is buoyant about the future and returning stronger in 2016.
After an injury-plagued 18 months, Rhys Jones was grateful to reach the T37 100m final in Doha and finished in eighth place, clocking a time of 12.12 to match his performance in Lyon two years ago.
Emerging talent in the field events was also evident as Sabrina Fortune placed fourth in her first World Championships in the F20 Shot Put and did it in fine style. Fortune delivered her best ever performance when it mattered, producing a personal best of 12.27m which extended her previous best by 24cm.
The 18 year-old said: “It was a really good competition and I have had an amazing time in Doha. It has given me a lot more motivation to see what else I can do in the future. I think I can throw 14m in the future; there is a lot more to come. I’ve got plenty of years ahead of me.”
Sam Bowen placed fifth in the F44 discus final, managing a best of 8.04m in the first round and Tony Mills had a mixed series in the T44 long jump, jumping a best of 6.20m in round two. The competition was won by Germany’s Markus Rehm in 8.40m in what was one of the performances of the championships.
Disability Sport Wales Chair Pippa Britton stated “I am pleased to see our senior athletes performing so well and achieving medal success once again. I am also delighted to see our young emerging talented athletes breaking out onto the world stage and performing. The future is bright as we look ahead to an exciting 2016 with Rio under a year away.”
