Australia’s teenage sensation Isis Holt smashed her own T35 200 metres world record on the final day of competition at the season-opening International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics Grand Prix in Canberra.
The 14-year-old clocked a time of 28.38sec in the heats, knocking 0.19 seconds off the world mark she set at the IPC Athletics World Championships in Qatar’s capital Doha last October.
The result came just 24 hours after the double world champion came within one hundredth of a second of her 100m world record on the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) athletics track.
“This is completely unexpected,” said Holt.
“After the 100m yesterday, I had no idea how I would back that up so to come away with a time like this is remarkable, really.
“I don’t know what this year will bring but this sets a great benchmark.
“To do this now makes the prospect of 2016 so exciting.
“Rio will be amazing regardless, but if I am running quick it will be that little bit better.
“It’s a bit crazy, it’s just so busy, but my school has been great and I’m in a routine now.
“We’ve managed to balance my homework and everything with the training I need for athletics.
“It’s going to be a hectic 12 months but I’m really looking forward to it.”
New Zealand’s Anna Grimaldi took the tape in the 200m final with a time of 27.32, adding to her second place finish in yesterday’s long jump.
Australia’s Tim Foster clinched top honours in the men’s 200m, beating New Zealand’s Ethan Rangi with a time of 24.04.
Another home favourite, T53 wheelchair racer Angela Ballard, continued a successful weekend out on the Canberra track as she won the 200m and 800m to add to her hat-trick of victories yesterday.
The 33-year-old, who like Holt made it double gold at the 2015 World Championships, clocked 30.54 in the 200m to finish ahead of T34 racer Rosemary Little.
In the 800m, she took the tape in 1:49.57, just over two seconds outside the world record mark she set in the Swiss municipality of Arbon last year.
Ballard’s team-mate Madison de Rozario, the reigning 800m T53 world champion, finished in second place.
Meanwhile, there was a convincing win for Australia’s world and Paralympic silver medallist Brad Scott in the men’s 800m.
The T37 middle-distance man finished nearly seven seconds clear of the rest of the field with his compatriot James Turner second in 2:08.80; a time that would have earned him bronze at last year’s World Championships.
Victory in the men’s 800m wheelchair event went to fellow Australian Richard Nicholson in a time of 1:38.28.
In the women’s shot put, Australia’s Katherine Proudfoot threw a best of 8.90m with her third attempt to take the win on points ahead of World Championship finalist Nicole Harris, who managed 11.49m with her final throw.
The 2016 IPC Athletics Grand Prix series now heads to Dubai in the United Arab of Emirates from March 17 to 20.
- By Daniel Etchells
- Republished with permission insidethegames.biz