Sophie Hahn wins second gold in European Championship record time

Sophie Hahn marked two years until Tokyo 2020 with her second European Para Athletics Championship gold medal in a record time in Berlin.

The Rio 2016 gold medallist ran clear in the T38 100m final and stopped the clock at 12.52 seconds to take the top step on the podium and set a new Championship record.

Olivia Breen joined Hahn, who retained her European title, on the podium as she battled to a bronze medal in the same final.

It was Hahn’s second gold medal of the Championships, to go with her T38 200m success, and the 21-year-old looks in very good shape to defend her Paralympic title in Japan.

“I would love to defend my titles and keep getting stronger and quicker,” she said. “I know my rivals are catching up with me, so I am taking each year as it comes.

“I just wanted to win the race and I am so happy I defended my title.

“For me, I love training and working hard. I work so hard on the track and in the gym. I want to keep getting better and keep retaining titles. I have still got the relay so I will celebrate after that.”

On another hugely successful day for British Athletics, eight medals were won in total with Hannah Cockroft also picking up gold in a championship record time of 2:14.21.

Cockroft edged an extremely tight tussle with fellow Brit Kare Adenegan in the T34 800m final, eventually bringing home a GB one-two.

“I have worked really hard on my 800m, especially my tactics, it was nice to be in control out there and to feel comfortable all of the way around,” she said.

“I knew I had to go in from the start and put in a quick start because I know that is Kare’s strength and I just had to play it from there really.

“It is not my favourite thing to do. I don’t really like being at the front, I like someone in front of me dictating what to do.”

The third GB gold of the afternoon in Germany went to Thomas Young who won the T38 200m in a personal best time of 23.70 seconds.

Young marginally missed out on a Championship record as fellow GB athletes Ross Paterson and Kyle Keyworth came fourth and sixth in the final.

“I am over the moon, it is a fantastic achievement. I am speechless really. It was really hard. It wasn’t easy, I knew the guy to the left of me was coming and I had to keep going,” said Young.

“My family are here and I saw my mum waving to me and I can’t wait to go and see them.

“Tokyo 2020 in two years is the main one, there is a World Championships next year, but Tokyo 2020 would be amazing to go to.”

Elsewhere, Graeme Ballard finished his final race before retirement with a bronze in the T36 200m while Nathan Maguire picked up third in the T54 100m.

Finally, Moatez Jomni will also be bringing home bronze after a sudden burst of pace saw him sneak onto the podium in the T53 100m.