
On the penultimate night in Dubai, Sabrina Fortune (Ian Robinson; Deeside) became the third Welsh athlete to win Gold at the World Para Athletics Championships.
Fortune recorded a huge personal best of 13.91 to win her maiden title in style in a back and forth battle with Ukraine’s Anastasiia Mysnyk in the women’s shot put F20 final.
European champion Fortune has enjoyed a fine season, matching her 13.70m personal best, and after opening with efforts of 12.32m and 12.79m, she found her stride and threw a Championship record of 13.26m to take the lead in round three.
Mysnyk then threatened to upset Fortune’s charge with a 13.31m in round five and then a 13.48m in round six but the Brit showed immense composure to throw out to a huge personal best and final Championship record of 13.91m for gold.
Having finished sixth and fourth on her last two World Championship appearances with Paralympic bronze at Rio 2016 in between, Fortune said: “I’m over the moon. There are no words to describe how amazing that moment was. I burst into tears straight after that final throw. And because I was last, it meant nobody could take it [the gold] off me.
“After two long long weeks of being here, I wanted to throw long. This is the best outcome I could ask for. This is one of the days I’ll remember for the rest of my life. I’ll probably end up crying again when I go onto the podium. It’s a moment which will last forever.”
Welsh Athletes Medal Tally:
Gold:
Hollie Arnold – F46 Javelin
Aled Davies – F63 Shot Put
Sabrina Fortune – F20 Shot Put
Bronze:
Olivia Breen – T38 Long Jump
Kyron Duke – F41 Shot Put
Harri Jenkins – T33 100m