World Para Athletics Championships - McKillop: That’s sports for ya, the better people beat me

Ireland’s Michael McKillop missed out on a 10th gold World Para Athletics Championships, finishing fourth yesterday in the T38 1500m final in Dubai.

The Ballymena star did secure a slot for Ireland at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games by finishing in the top four. City of Lisburn athlete David Leavy produced his best ever performance to finish in ninth overall in the same race.

McKillop had returned to competition to defend his world championship title which he last won in 2017. The four-time Paralympic gold medallist and five-time world champion finished in fourth in 4:09:07.

McKillop missed over two years of competition after a serious injury that required surgery and threatened his career.

“Before I came out here I prepared as best I can but I knew that I wouldn’t be able to go with the pace from a long distance out,” said McKillop last night. “I’ve just had eight months in my legs, that’s it. So, if I can do that in another eight months, another year or just below a year on top of this it will get me back in the medals and hopefully back on top of the podium but, again, tonight wasn’t my night, that’s sport for ya, the better people beat me.’

Leavy also competed in the same event and was delighted with his performance as he finished in 9th position with a new personal best time of 4:23:86, taking two seconds off his previous best performance. ‘I feel ecstatic tonight,” he said. “Coming into this competition I had some really difficult and bad performances throughout the year so I felt quite lucky to be here. I felt with my training’s been pretty consistent throughout the year and that I could come here and make a good show of it. Coming in here ranked 13th or 14th all season’s best and to come out and put in a performance and finish 9th, there’s nothing I could have done and I feel really pleased with the performance I put in.’

Meanwhile Mary Fitzgerald competed for Ireland for the first time at a major championship and came away with a brilliant 7th place finish in the F40 Shot Put with a throw of 6.87m.

Kilkenny’s Fitzgerald took the circle in the F40 Shot Put as the Men’s 1500m final featuring McKillop and Leavy got underway. The 20-year-old finished just 14cm shy of a personal best performance with her best effort — her fifth throw of six — reaching 6.87m.

“I’m absolutely delighted, just short of my PB so I’m really happy with my year so far,” she said.

“To even get to the world championships, I’m absolutely delighted to be here so yeah, it was a fabulous experience to be here and I’m delighted to get the result I did.”

The Irish team, including World Para Athletics medallists Niamh McCarthy and Jason Smyth will return to Dublin Airport today at 6.55pm through Terminal 2.