'I had a better time in me' - Hannah Cockroft celebrates lucky No 13 of World Para Athletics titles

Insatiable Hannah Cockroft won her second gold medal at the World Para Athletics Championships and 13th overall as she defended her 800m T34 title in Paris on Sunday night.

Cockroft, 30, who retained her 100m T34 title on Thursday, set a new championship record of 1:51.57 seconds ahead of fellow Britons Kare Adenegan, who took silver, and Fabienne Andre, who was fourth.

Halifax wheelchair racer Cockroft had led home Adenegan and Andre in a British one-two-three in the 100m T34 final.

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As ever, the Hurricane from Halifax was delighted to win but not wholly satisfied.

Hurricane Hannah Cockroft of Great Britain celebrates after winning the Women's 800m T34 Final at the Para Athletics World Championships Paris 2023 at Stade Charlety (Picture: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)Hurricane Hannah Cockroft of Great Britain celebrates after winning the Women's 800m T34 Final at the Para Athletics World Championships Paris 2023 at Stade Charlety (Picture: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
Hurricane Hannah Cockroft of Great Britain celebrates after winning the Women's 800m T34 Final at the Para Athletics World Championships Paris 2023 at Stade Charlety (Picture: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

“I’m ecstatic that I’m world champion…but I know that I had a better time than that somewhere inside me,” said Cockroft.

“I was pushing 1:44 earlier this year, so to push a 1:51 is a bit of step back. So, I’m a bit frustrated. My start wasn’t the greatest and Kare really pushed me off the line…but tomorrow when I’m on that podium I’ll be so, so happy.

“My first world championships was twelve years ago – I didn’t dream in a million years all that time ago that I’d still be here all these years later, and probably not doing a 1:51, which is a good time but I’m just never happy!”

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Cockroft returned later in the evening for the all-new Universal 4x100m relay, and took home a silver as the British team featuring her, Jonnie Peacock, Zachary Shaw, Sophie Hahn and Samantha Kinghorn – were upgraded after coming home third in the final.

Halifax's Hannah Cockroft added two more titles to her tally at the Para Athletics World Championships Paris 2023 (Picture: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)Halifax's Hannah Cockroft added two more titles to her tally at the Para Athletics World Championships Paris 2023 (Picture: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
Halifax's Hannah Cockroft added two more titles to her tally at the Para Athletics World Championships Paris 2023 (Picture: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

Canada had crossed the line in first place but were disqualified on a technicality, with Japan taking gold and Brazil bronze.

Peacock said: “I love the relay. I grew up loving sport and I always wanted to be a footballer as part of that team overall.

"Athletics is obviously a sport where you don’t get to share that too often.

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"But there’s been a huge team as part of this and we’ve done countless relay practices this year building in. We get to share the joy, but we get to share the pressure too. It’s not on anybody and it’s one unit – if one of us makes a mistake, all of us do.

“Zac came flying into me and it’s always a little bit scary when you’ve got someone with that type of speed. It was about doing our job right and getting this team round. As Zak said, we’ve got two silver medals now.

"Personally there was a chance I’d come away from this championships with no silverware, so I’m very happy I can look back at this championships to put a big smile on my face.”

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