IPC World Para Athletics Championships: Day One

By Warren Holmes

London Stadium opened its doors to thousands of athletes and spectators for the first night of the IPC World Para Athletics Championships, and those in attendance witnessed gold medals, broken records and a befittingly lifting opening ceremony. 

The opening ceremony was filled with fireworks, speeches from the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and applause from spectators as the para athletes, it'll be the moment of silence in memory of UAE athlete Abdullah Hayayei, immaculately observed by all, which will live longest in the memory.

Akeem Stewart from Trinidad & Tobago competes in the F43 javelin, discus and shot put and had a memorable Paralympics game in 2016. 

Stewart broke the world record twice in one night to win gold at the Paralympics in Rio 2016 and is delighted to be here at London Stadium. 

“It’s a dream come true and I finally get to do a shot put as a para athlete so I am really excited. It’s my first time at London stadium, it’s very beautiful,” he said. 

Team GB Medals

London 2012 Paralympic gold medallist Hannah Cockroft smashed the world record in the T34 100m 17.18. 

16-year-old Kare Adenegan finished a close runner-up to Cockroft in a time of 18.01 as Team GB took first and second place.

In the first hour of the events Australian Cameron Crombie on his debut broke a world record in the shot put F38, throwing 15.95. 

Gemma Prescott matched her result from the 2012 Paralympic games as she won bronze again in the F32 club throw. 

David Bunyan a Team GB official said: “ I think it’s a great start with a really good atmosphere to get started and British performances are high so far. 

“We started as we hoped so, it’s been a really good evening.”