First stadium world record breaker gets gold

Hannah Cockroft

LONDON - The British athlete who set the first world record at the Olympic Stadium during a a test event earlier this year on Friday won the country's debut track gold, this time beating the Paralympic record.

Wheelchair racer Hannah Cockroft took the women's T34 100m in 18.06secs, 0.50secs faster than the then world best she set at the east London venue during competition back in May.

The 20-year-old, who won the T34 100m and 200m double at the world championships last year, has since lowered her own world record to 17.60secs at the Swiss National Championships.

After the race, she said: "I didn't know whether to cry or laugh or what to do.

"It's a little bit surreal when you're dreaming about it for so long and then it just kind of happens in, what, 18 seconds. You're kind of like, 'I want to do that again, I can do that better'. But I've got it now and I can't complain."

The stadium was again near its 80,000 capacity after heats on Friday morning and Cockroft paid tribute to the support from the gun and she crossed the finish line.

"Everyone went mental. It was absolutely amazing. I can't describe it, it was phenomenal," she added.

Cockroft, who has cerebral palsy and calls her wheelchair "Sally", is now hoping to go one better and take the 200m title.

Kenya's David Rushida became the first track athlete to break a world record in the Olympic Stadium, when he stormed to gold in the 800m in 1min 40.91secs. - AFP