| Venue: Tokyo, Japan Dates: 24 August-5 September Time in Tokyo: BST +8 |
| Coverage: Follow on Radio 5 Live and on the BBC Sport website |
Great Britain’s Hannah Cockroft set a new world record to win her third consecutive T34 100m crown and claim a stunning sixth Paralympic title, as GB won eight medals – including four golds – in a superb start to day five in Tokyo.
Cockroft, 29, bettered her own record with a time of 16.39 seconds to overhaul team-mate Kare Adenegan, who took silver ahead of Australia’s Robyn Lambird.
There were two rowing golds as GB’s PR2 mixed double sculls pair Lauren Rowles and Laurence Whiteley, and the PR3 mixed coxed four team, successfully defended their respective Paralympic titles.
Rowles and Whiteley, who are also the reigning world and European champions, won by 4.86 seconds from the Netherlands, while China took bronze.
The mixed coxed British quartet, which included 2016 gold medallist James Fox, finished 11.05 seconds clear of closest challengers France.
In the triathlon, GB’s Lauren Steadman was victorious in a women’s PTS5 event which also saw Claire Cashmore win bronze, while George Peasgood earned silver behind Rio champion Martin Schulz in the men’s race.
Reigning champion Will Bayley, who, like Steadman, is a former Strictly Come Dancing contestant, had to settle for silver as he was beaten by China’s Yan Shuo in the table tennis men’s singles class seven – losing 3-1 in the final after taking the first game.
In judo, Chris Skelley will face the USA’s Ben Goodrich in the men’s -100kg gold medal contest later on Sunday, after an 11-0 semi-final victory over Oliver Upmann of Germany.
Wheelchair racer Cockroft, a 12-time world champion, improved her impressive collection of Paralympic titles in style, following her treble in the 100m, 400m and 800m events at Rio 2016
The ParalympicsGB co-captain, who will also contest the 800m in Tokyo, had improved her world records in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m earlier this year.
And though Adenegan, who clocked 17.03, made the faster start, Cockroft overhauled her fellow Briton – setting another new world record in the process.
“This last 18 months has been so weird and so, so hard. I just wish the stadium had been full to witness that,” Cockroft told Channel 4.
“It’s so special. It just feels like a massive, massive relief. We didn’t know if we’d be here in Tokyo. I was so nervous. I did everything I could and thankfully it was enough.
“I know Kare is a strong starter. She’s always good off the gun so I knew I had to let her go and take my time.”
On aiming for the 800m title next, she added: “The 800m is my comfortable event now. I am confident but it’s all to play for.”
Gold, silver and bronze for GB triathletes
Victory in the women’s triathlon was redemption for Steadman, who had to settle for silver in the PT4 triathlon at Rio 2016 after a costly mistake during the swim as she missed a crucial buoy.
She made no such error in Tokyo, however, finishing in one hour 4.46 seconds – 41 seconds ahead of the USA’s defending champion Grace Norman – with Cashmore two minutes and 50 seconds behind her compatriot.
American Norman led after the 750m swim but Steadman swept past her rival on the 20km bike and established an 18-second advantage which she extended in the final 5km run.
“I don’t actually think it has sunk in,” Steadman told Channel 4 after her victory. “Rio devastated me massively and I didn’t know what was going to happen today. It was a strong field and I just followed my game plan.”
Cashmore was able to claim bronze despite receiving a one-minute penalty for a drafting violation. That was served during the bike segment, however there was confusion as the race officials initially got the duration wrong.
“It’s a bronze medal. I can’t be disappointed, but I am,” an emotional Cashmore said. “Each race I’m progressing and learning. I’ve learned a lot today and I’ll never do something like that again.”
In the men’s PTS5, Peasgood took the lead in the swim but was eventually caught by Germany’s Schulz midway through the run section and eventually finished 45 seconds behind, with a 27-second gap to bronze medallist Daniel Stefan of Canada.
Peasgood, who will also compete in the road cycling events for GB in Tokyo, said: “I’m pretty overwhelmed. I didn’t think I could do it on the bike. I just dug deep on the run and that’s what I’ve been training for.”
World watch
There was a dramatic conclusion in the women’s PTWC triathlon, as the USA’s Kendall Gretsch, 29, narrowly edged out Australia’s Lauren Parker in a sprint finish.
Gretsch, who won two Winter Paralympic golds in skiing at Pyeongchang in 2018, officially won by 0.01 seconds as she overtook Parker on the final straight.
In the men’s PTWC event, the Netherlands’ Jetze Platt secured consecutive Paralympic golds after his success when the sport made its debut in Rio.
Unbeaten in triathlon events since 2016, Platt is also targeting a handcycling medal when the road cycling events get under way.
Over in the athletics, there was an eventful conclusion to the men’s Shot Put – F40 event. Iraq’s Garrah Tnaiash produced a world-record throw of 11.15m, only for Deni Gnezdilov of the Russian Paralympic Committee to beat him by one centimetre with his final effort.
Ukrainian rower Roman Polianskyi finished clear of the field as the world champion defended his PR1 men’s single sculls title.
The 34-year-old was more than 12 seconds ahead of Australian Erik Horrie, who earned his third successive silver, while Britain’s Benjamin Pritchard – left paralysed after a cycling crash in 2016 – finished fifth.
