McKillop Ireland’s First World Champion of 2011 Belfast’s Michael McKillop became Ireland’s first world champion of 2011 when he took gold in a world record 800m performance at the IPC Athletics World Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand.
McKillop, the reigning Paralympic and World 800m champion, broke his own world record by 0.49sec in setting a new T37 800m world record of 1.58.90 earlier today. McKillop who turned 21 yesterday beat Brad Scott of Australia into second place while Khaled Hanani of Algeria took the bronze medal.
Following his victory, McKillop commented, “My plan was to hit it hard with 450m to go as the Australian is a strong 400m runner, I knew I could psychologically break him with a long kick for home. It wasn’t easy in the wind and I tightened slightly in the home straight but just managed to scrape under the old World Record.”
James Nolan, Irish Team Manager, commented, “Sometimes it can be more difficult when you are expected to perform and deliver, Michael handled himself very well. He had a plan, executed the plan and the end result is a gold medal for Ireland and a new World Record.”
Three Irish athletes are scheduled to compete tomorrow on the final day of the IPC Athletics World Championships. Catherine Wayland, a silver medal winner in the F51 Club throw earlier this week, competes in the F51 Discus final, Rosemary Tallon will feature in the F53 Discus final and reigning European champion Orla Barry is a real medal hope in the F57 Discus final.
800m T37
WORLD RECORD 1:59.39 McKILLOP Michael IRL Beijing (CHN) 10 SEP 2008
CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD 2:02.13 McKILLOP Michael IRL Assen (NED) 8 SEP 2006
1 1511 McKILLOP Michael T37 IRL 27 JAN 1990 4 1:58.90 WR
2 1063 SCOTT Brad T37 AUS 15 APR 1988 6 2:03.25 SB
3 1012 HANANI Khaled T37 ALG 5 SEP 1982 3 2:08.00 SB R 125.5
4 1034 DOMINGUEZ Mariano T37 ARG 2 DEC 1987 5 2:10.50 AR
Intermediate Times: 400m 58.31 1511 McKILLOP Michael (IRL)