Paralympics day five: Hannah Cockroft’s sixth career gold leads GB medal rush

Wheelchair athlete Hannah Cockroft set a new world record to storm to the sixth gold medal of her illustrious Paralympic career.

The 29-year-old topped the podium in the T34 100m with a time of 16.39 seconds – edging out compatriot Kare Adenegan, who claimed silver in 17.03.

The win moved Cockroft a step closer to a long-term target of surpassing the 11 Paralympic medals Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson won between 1992 and 2004.

She can close that gap further in the 800m final on Saturday.

“It’s there, it’s in the distance,” Cockroft said.

“This sport has changed so much since Tanni. She left a legacy, we just have to keep bringing more young girls into the sport. If I have to keep beating them, awesome.”

Cockroft’s victory followed a glittering morning for ParalympicsGB’s triathletes, with Lauren Steadman claiming gold in the PTS5 event.

She crossed the line with a finish of 1:04:46, 41 seconds clear of American Grace Norman.

ParalympicsGB teammate Claire Cashmore completed the podium in that race in a time of 1:07:36, while fellow Briton George Peasgood earlier won men’s silver in 58:55.

The gold rush continued on the water with double success in the rowing.

Laurence Whiteley made it a 30th birthday to remember by topping the PR2 mixed double sculls podium alongside Lauren Rowles, recording a winning time of 8:38.99.

That success at Sea Forest Waterway was swiftly followed by glory in the PR3 mixed coxed four final for quartet Ellen Buttrick, Giedre Rakauskaite, James Fox and Ollie Stanhope, plus cox Erin Kennedy.

Great Britain secured a 54-49 victory over the United States to win wheelchair rugby gold, Chris Skelley secured gold in the -100kg judo final, while Elliot Stewart took silver in the -90kg category.

Sir Lee Pearson won a 13th Paralympic gold medal as he joined forces with Natasha Baker and Sophie Wells to retain the Para-equestrian team title.

Will Bayley failed to complete a fairytale recovery from a serious knee injury suffered rehearsing for Strictly Come Dancing in late 2019 as China’s Yan Shuo snatched table tennis gold with a 3-1 win.

More medals came in the pool as Ellie Challis won silver in the S3 50m backstroke and Louise Fiddes followed suit in the SB14 100m breaststroke. Scott Quin claimed bronze in the men’s race.

Back on the athletics track, Maria Lyle took bronze in the T35 200m.

Picture of the day

Social media moment

Oksana Zubkovska of Ukraine celebrates in the sand after claiming a fourth consecutive gold medal in the women’s T12 long jump.

Figure of the day

What’s coming up?

Hannah Russell seeks to retain her 50m freestyle gold on Sunday afternoon, before sprinter Jonnie Peacock attempts to make it a hat-trick of golds in the T64 100m starting with the qualifying heats.