20 July 2018
Golden moment for Clegg as Britain's para-athletes enjoy London return
Libby Clegg enjoyed a golden return to the London Stadium after running a season’s best 200m en route to victory at the Anniversary Games.
Racing for Great Britain for the first time since the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games after tearing her calf last year, Clegg dominated the T11 race alongside new guide Tom Somers on a successful day for the home nation.
For the 28-year-old more than most it proved a treasured return to the London Stadium, the scene of her second T12 100 Paralympic silver medal at London 2012 - while she also set a 200m world record at the Anniversary Games two years ago.
“I really missed being on the international stage and where else better to come back to than the stadium, so it’s pretty incredible,” she said after her 25.29s effort.
Stef Reid leapt to victory in front of her home fans
“I’ve had two years of bad luck. Tom, who guided me, only stepped on two weeks ago after never guiding before, so it’s pretty impressive we got round in one piece.
“We’ve got the Europeans in August, so we’re both going to be competing there, we can’t wait really.”
And on what was a day laden with medals for British para-athletes, Richard Whitehead claimed silver in the T42 200m in a season’s best 23.72s.
The 42-year-old also has fond memories of the London Stadium, winning gold in the event at his home Paralympic Games.
After a typically fast start, Whitehead was caught at the line by South African Ntando Mahlangu, whilst David Henson took third and Luke Sinnott finished fifth for Great Britain.
This is why we love Paralympic sport and this is why we want to see more of it. It’s about the old guy against the new blood.
“What a great race that was,” said Whitehead.“This is what the legacy of London 2012 is all about, I know from talking to Ntando and Ntando’s team that he was inspired by 2012, and I’m just trying to hang on in there - literally, I was trying to hang on in there.
“It’s so nice to do it with him, he’s in a young group of athletes that are pushing us old guard to keep going. I’ve committed now to Tokyo, which I know is crazy at 42, but I feel like Ntando really does inspire me to keep going because it’s important to support him.”
Elsewhere Stef Reid jumped a season’s best 5.55m to take gold in the T44/47/64 long jump to add to the world title title she won in London last year.
Reid sealed the victory with her fourth leap, just one centimetre ahead of Marie-Amelie Le Fur in silver, whilst Polly Maton finished fifth.
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