Record-breaker Smyth set for sprint double

SPRINTER Jason Smyth broke his own world record when qualifying for the 200m final at the Paralympics yesterday.

Smyth clocked 21.81secs in his semi-final and is now on track to claim a double sprint gold.

He bettered his record by 0.02 seconds and smashed the Paralympic time of 22.37.

The Derry man cruised to the 100m title for visually-impaired athletes on Saturday when he again smashed the world record.

In the day’s other heat, Alexey Labzin (Russia) ran a season’s best time of 21.86 to lead home the field.

Smyth’s coach Stephen Maguire said: “He was controlled out there he ran a strong bend and a good straight and everything went according to plan.”

The final takes place today at 12.40pm Irish time.

Ireland’s only other competitor yesterday was Athens silver medallist John McCarthy in the club throw event.

McCarthy’s best throw of 19.53m was not enough to secure a place in the final and left him 11th overall.

Smyth, won’t be Ireland’s sole competitor at the Birds Nest Stadium today. Tralee’s Roy Guerin races in the heats of the T53 100m while Cork’s Orla Barry, a Paralympic debutante and former Irish Examiner National Junior Sports Star, competes in the F57/58 Discus.

Paul Cassin’s 7-a-side football team will have it all to do if they are to get a result against Holland in the 5th/6th place play-off this morning.