Majestic McKillop fulfils dream double

Very few people could win a gold medal in front of 90,000 people and feel unfulfilled but that was Michael McKillop.

Four years ago, even though he streaked away from the field in the T37 800m final at the Paralympic Games in Beijing, he left China aggrieved at the absence of a 1,500m race for his class and the chance to double his haul.

Adding to his frustration was the fact that his buddy Jason Smyth had done just that by claiming gold in the T13 100m and 200m, and it had been nagging away at him like a stubborn itch more or less ever since.

Three days ago, McKillop retained his 800m title but it would have been tarnished in his and, truth be told, everyone else’s eyes had he not done what he intended here in London and mirror that over the longer distance.

That he would was never in doubt.

McKillop assumed the lead from the off and was content to drag the rest of the field along at a steady pace for 600m before pressing down on the accelerator to leave everyone else scrambling for silver and bronze for the second time in three days.

It was all done in another Paralympic record time of 4:08.11, and yet he slowed with 50m to go. Ever the showman, he felt the need to soak up the moment on the home straight by throwing waves and kisses to a crowd that, yet again, boasted a strong Irish influence.

“Whenever Jason won the gold medals in Beijing, I was very envious of him because I didn’t have that chance,” he said afterwards.

“When I heard that there was going to be the two races, I was licking my lips about this double.

“I had to follow him the other night but now he has to follow me and go and win his second. Hopefully other people can go and win some more medals too because this is the best ever Irish Paralympic team.”

This brought the haul to eight, by the by.

McKillop spoke after both of his races about how honoured he felt to achieve such deeds in front of his family, most of whom had never seen him compete at a major championships before, all of which made last night’s end note all the more poetic.

Little did he know that Paralympics Ireland had secretly nominated his mother Catherine to present his gold medal on the night and the tears flowed as she placed the gold medal around his neck. It was the one time all week that he wasn’t in full control.