Double delight for speedster McKillop

Michael McKillop completed the middle distance double in scintillating fashion at the IPC World Championships in Lyon, yesterday.

Having retained his 800m crown on Sunday, the Antrim native was odds-on to secure a first World Championship gold medal over the longer distance.

Two years ago in Christchurch, McKillop eased to a comfortable victory in the 1,500m, though given only two athletes competed there was no medal presentation, adding extra incentive to yesterday’s race.

The 23-year old entered the T38 final with a lifetime best 17 seconds faster than his closest challenger, but unlike London 12 months ago, McKillop held back over the first half of the race, content to sit on the shoulder of Australia’s Deon Kenzie.

Two laps out, the reigning champion struck for home, his injection of pace stringing out the field and thereafter all eyes were firmly fixed on the clock.

The double Olympic champion crossed in 4.10.17, eclipsing his own championship record by four seconds. Tunisia’s Abbes Saidi nabbed silver in 4.12.78.

“I was plodding along early on and the plan was to go at about the halfway mark,” said McKillop. “Thankfully I got away early with the spurt I put in. I was able to relax after that and I kicked on again.

“I’m very happy because I set out to win the double.”

Also on course for double success in France is Jason Smyth who set a championship record en route to a comprehensive T13 100m semi-final victory. The 26-year old cannoned out of the blocks at the Rhone Stadium and accelerated smoothly away from the rest of the field to win in a time of 10.72, three 10ths of a second clear of Namibia’s Nambala Johannes.

The Derry sprinter is a firm favourite to repeat his double Paralympic achievement from London in adding the 100m title to the 200m gold medal pocketed on Sunday.

The T13 100m final is scheduled for 6.05pm today with South African Jonathan Ntutu viewed as Smyth’s sole threat, setting an African record when winning the opening semi-final in 10.99.

“Jason had the field put away after 20m. He looked very relaxed running 10.7 and the championship record. With Jason in this form, the final will be very exciting,” said James Nolan, head of Irish Paralympic Athletics.