26th May 2018

MAGUIRE AND CHIASSARO AMONG THOSE SET PBs IN NOTTWIL

Many PBs fell on the second day of the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Nottwil, Switzerland in near perfect conditions for racing.

Richard Chiassaro (coach: Jenni Banks) and Nathan Maguire (Ste Hoskins) picked up where they left off on Friday, setting lifetime bests in the morning’s T54 100m races.

Maguire took almost a tenth off his previous best to set 14.68 (+0.2) after an excellent push which left him ranked seventh overall amongst an incredibly strong field. He later returned to the Swiss track to compete over 1500m; 3:12.38 the time for that one.

Chiassaro posted 14.29 (0.4) shaving 0.03 seconds off his previous best, for third fastest overall behind Leo-Pekka Tahti and Kenny Van Weeghal. It is all set up for a tantalising 400m race on the final day of the Grand Prix on Sunday.

Another notable performance in the T53/54 1500m races came from Dillon Labrooy (Archer) who took a huge chunk off his previous 1500m best, almost four seconds to revise his best ever time to 3:02.29 – a significant improvement from the Weir Archer Academy athlete.

Elsewhere, Commonwealth marathon silver medallist JohnBoy Smith (Jenny Archer), who switches his attention to the shorter distance this weekend, finishing in 3:16.02. Fellow Team England marathoner Callum Hall (Ian Thompson) stopped the clock in 3:17.70.

For the first time, Eden Rainbow-Cooper (Archer) dipped under 18 seconds over 100m, recording 17.71 (+1.1) to show her impressive improvement during this series.

Despite a slip at the start of her 100m, Hannah Cockroft (Banks) continued her unbeaten streak but was somewhat disappointed with her time of 17.60 (+1.0). However, she will have further opportunities this week over the distance, with sub 17 seconds very much on her mind.

In the T35 100m, there was a fantastic personal best for India Oates – of Darlington Harriers – who was second in 16.43 (+1.5).

To complete the morning’s session of 100m races, Toby Gold (Banks) equalled his personal best, 17.01 (0.3), set in Arbon last year, while Andrew Small (Rick Hoskins) was narrowly outside his best in 17.44 (0.9). Ben Rowlings (Ian Mirfin) recorded 16.75 (0.7) whilst world T53 silver medallist Mickey Bushell (Archer) pushed to 15.38 (0.5) followed by Mo Jomni (Archer) in 15.86.

Results can be found on the Rollstuhlsport Schweiz app or here: http://www.rollstuhlsportevents.ch/en/