Monday, December 23, 2024

Paralympics 2024: Hannah Cockroft and Sabrina Fortune start GB gold rush in Paris

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Cockroft, 32, has dominated the 100m event since making her international debut in 2011.

Gold at London 2012 was followed by the same result in Rio and Tokyo, and she came into Paris as the world record holder and the fastest in the world this year.

And after competing without a crowd in Tokyo, she was delighted to have vocal support in the French capital.

“I knew Paris could do it, and I’m so glad they did,” she said.

“That noise is what we do it for, the support is amazing. I can’t wipe the smile from my face. For 12 years, that’s what we’ve worked for.

“I’m making my life well hard doing this. You know you are the one people are watching but that’s what keeps you going – you don’t want to let people down and I know I have more in me.

“My time wasn’t amazing but it doesn’t matter.”

Cockroft is now three gold medals behind Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson’s eleven, and can narrow the gap in Saturday’s T34 800m final, where she is also defending champion.

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