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Brian Lawless / SPORTSFILE
London 2012

Gold rush: McKillop retains Paralympic title with world record in 800m

The 22-year-old blitzed the opposition to take home Ireland’s fourth gold of the Games.

UPDATED 22:25

ON A DAY to remember for Irish athletes, Michael McKillop claimed the third gold medal of the day by setting another world record.

The Antrim man ran his 8oom (T37) in a time of 1:57.22, a time which eclipses his previous personal best, which was also a world record.

Trailing in behind McKillop was Tunisia’s Mohamed Charmi, who ran 2:01.45, and Australia’s Brad Scott who claimed bronze with a time of 2:02.02.

McKillop, 22, suffers from cerebral palsy. He also holds the world record in the 1500m, an event which he will see him chasing another gold on Monday.

“If you don’t enjoy that then you will never enjoy anything in your life.” He gleamed afterwards, “It’s an honour to come out again and race for my country. But to run in front of my Mum for the first time in a major championships is something special and my friends and girlfriend is really nice”

“I knew exactly what I had to do. I was 420 out and I just went at it, just nailed it, put the hammer down with 200 to go I looked up at the big screen, had a enough of a gap so I hit it again coming down the home straight just to be sure. “

“I wanted to enjoy this as you don’t often get a chance to run at a major championships like this”

World’s fastest! Jason Smyth secures Ireland’s third gold at Paralympics

More success for Team Ireland, as Darragh McDonald claims gold

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