UPDATED 20:15
JASON SMYTH OF Ireland has won the gold medal in the T13 100m event at the Paralympic Games in London, obliterating the rest of the field in a world record time.
The Derry native stormed home in a time of 10.46 to bring Ireland’s gold medal tally at the Games to three, following the successes of Bethany Firth and Darragh McDonald in their swimming events.
There was more that 0.5s between Smyth and the second-placed Luis Felipe Gutierrez of Cuba, with South Africa’s Jonathan Ntutu in third.
“This just goes to show that if you work hard and apply yourself you can achieve at the greatest level”, said Smyth after securing gold.
“Coming into the Championships I knew I was under pressure to retain my title so I wanted to do that first and foremost and thankfully I was able to do that. Of course there was the added bonus of a world record.”
And the Derry native won’t rest on his laurels having ran his event’s fastest ever time. Though, he asserts that crossing the line first is the only crucial factor, he believes he can go even faster.
“Times at championships are irrelevant. It doesn’t matter whether you run ten zero or eleven zero as long it doesn’t matter as long as you win. I believe I can run quicker that again.”
-Additional reporting by Sean Farrell
