29 August 2021
Small margins as Andrew upgrades to gold on British-dominated podium
Andrew Small was cautiously confident about his Paralympic chances but he delivered in style with a men’s 100m T33 gold that headlined a double British medal success in the race.
Small, who was inspired to taking up the sport watching David Weir and Hannah Cockroft at London 2012, was a bronze medallist in Rio.
And he upgraded that brilliantly in Tokyo, a flying start meaning he edged out fast-finishing defending champion, Kuwait’s Ahmad Almutairi, on the line by 0.1s.
Andrew Small was ecstatic to upgrade his Rio 2016 bronze to a gold in Tokyo
ParalympicsGB team-mate Harri Jenkins claimed bronze on his Games debut, with James Freeman in fourth.
“This is the combination of a lot of hard struggles and it means so much,” said Small.
“I think back to all those cold evenings in the garage during the pandemic, training on the rollers on Zoom and not being able to hear anyone because of microphone troubles, this makes it worth it.
“It’s just wonderful to have five years’ worth of hard work pay off.”
Jenkins, at his first major Games, wore a wide smile as he crossed the line - not because of his bronze but because of a realisation of what he could do in the future.
Harri Jenkins is already dreaming of an even more valuable medal at Paris 2024
“I was thinking about three years’ time and what I could do, that really excites me,” he said.
“It feels good to get a bronze medal at my first Games. I thought I could get bigger medal but I sort of messed up my race from 60 metres onwards.”
Six-time Paralympic champion David Weir clocked 2:55.84 to qualify for the men’s 1500m T54 final, where his long-time Swiss rival Marcel Hug looks the one to beat after lowering the Paralympic record.
He’ll be joined by team-mate Daniel Sidbury, who recorded a 2:56.26 personal best, but Richard Chiassaro missed out despite a season’s best.
David Weir safely came through an incredibly fast heat in men's 1500m T54
“I knew it would be quick because I had the same heat as the 5k with the two fastest guys in the world, I just knew I had to be in the right position,” said Weir. “I sat on Marcel’s wheel and he is in supreme form.”
World bronze medallist Shaun Burrows came through his men’s 400m T38 heat in second place while Ben Rowlings, in the men’s 100m T34 final, finished ninth, with his main target the 800m later in the championships.
“I’m not happy with how I started the race, technically it wasn’t the best. I needed to be with the guys at the start,” said Rowlings.
“The class has got really strong over the last few years so I know I’ve got work to do on the 100m.”
And there was a medal near miss for Kyron Duke in the men’s shot put F41, his best throw of 12.29m meant fourth position – to follow his fifth places at London 2012 and Rio 2016 – as Uzbekistan’s Bobirjon Omonov took gold.
Kyron Duke improved on his fifth-place finishes from London and Rio but narrowly missed out on the podium
“It didn’t really go to plan. I started to build over the last two throws so it came too late. I’ve been working with a new coach for the last nine months so it is still early days,” he said.
“I know what this competition is all about. I’ve been here twice before, this is my third Games so I did think perhaps it’d be third time lucky.”
Join the ParalympicsGB movement
Join
The ParalympicsGB movement
We may include relevant updates from our trusted partners, but will never sell your data on. We take your privacy seriously and you can opt out at any time Privacy Policy
Related News
13 June 2023
IPC announces Manchester, UK as preferred location for World Para Athletics and World Para Swimming governing bodies
25 April 2023
Karé Adenegan breaks down the intersectionality of race, disability and gender
31 August 2022
Inspired by London 2012: Andrew Small tells his story
16 June 2022
Stef Reid retires from athletics
5 September 2021
Marathon racers impress in final athletics event of Tokyo 2020
4 September 2021
Cockroft defends 800m title to win seventh Paralympic gold medal
3 September 2021
Davies in dreamland after winning third consecutive Paralympic gold
3 September 2021
Libby Clegg signs off with silver as ParalympicsGB celebrate athletics medal hat-trick
2 September 2021
Miller and Broom-Edwards take gold in medal rush morning of athletics
2 September 2021