IRISH PARLAYMPIANS ORLA Comerford and Greta Streimikyte won their respective races at the 2024 Handisport Open in Paris today. 

Comerford powered to victory in the 100m T13, clocking a time of 12.18 with a -2.1 headwind at Stade Charléty.

“Mixed bag,” the Raheny Shamrocks sprinter reflected afterwards. “I’m happy to come away with the win but not terribly happy with the time, but there was a headwind and plenty of fast times to come hopefully over the next few races.”

Comerford, who will compete again at the Troyes Aube International Athletics Meeting on Sunday having enjoyed a rich vein of form recently, set the tone for Team Ireland with a first-place finish as the first athlete up.

Streimikyte later followed suit with a comfortable win in the 1500m T13. She cruised home in a season’s best time of 4:39.21, with the next athlete almost 54 seconds behind.

Meanwhile, Alex Lee finished fourth in the 100m T62/T64 in a time of 11.89 with a -0.7 headwind. He will compete in his favoured event, the 200m T64, tomorrow.

Lana Sutton made a superb international debut, placing second in the 100m T37/38 in a time of 13.19 with a -1.1 headwind, while Aaron Shorten finished strong to take fourth in the 1500m T20.

Having hit a high performance standard for the Paralympics later this summer, Sutton  returns to action in the Long Jump T37/38 tomorrow.

Mary Fitzgerald (F40 Shot Put) and Cathal Ryan (400m T46/47) are also in Friday action.

The Handisport Open is the final competition before the Paralympic qualification window closes on 16 June, and continues Ireland’s athletics success after a glittering few days at the European Championships in Rome.