#SALParaPower! Sammi’s first Paralympic medal – a T53 100m bronze

Wednesday 1st September 2021

Sammi in Tokyo (photo via imagecomms)

Sammi Kinghorn surged to the first Paralympic medal of her career in Tokyo.

The popular Scot, who was so close to the podium in the T53 800m the other day, crossed the line in third place to take bronze in the 100m final.

Chinese duo Fang Gao and Hongzhuan Zhou took the top two places in 16.25 and 16.48 respectively but Sammi was close behind in 16.53.

And her beaming smile up to her fellow British team members in the stands in Tokyo said it all after an athletics journey which began almost ten years ago.

Many congratulations to Sammi, her family, coach Rodger Harkins and all her support team on the medal success.

‘I am absolutely ecstatic! smiled Sammi.

‘I was fifth in Rio and third now. I am learning every time I’m going out on the track. I know I made some errors there but I came away with the bronze medal so I am very happy.

‘I just can’t wait to ring my mum and dad. No one is going to forget these Games, but it was tough not seeing them up in the stands cheering me on.

‘I know they’ll all be having a massive party at home and having a few drinks to celebrate.

‘The world championships in 2017 (where she won the T53 100m title) was incredible, but there were a couple of Chinese athletes missing there. But winning gave me the hunger.

‘I want to be on the podium every time, I don’t want to be missing it. Obviously that fourth in the 800m was hard, so I wasn’t going to come fourth again, I was going to get on the podium!’

BBC Sport feature on Sammi

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Ben Rowlings in Tokyo (photo via imagecomms)

On Monday, Ben Rowlings had made his debut as a Paralympian in the T34 100m final.

It was a hard push for Ben, who is based in Scotland, and he finished ninth with 16.77 seconds his time.

‘I’m not happy with how I started the race, technically it wasn’t the best,’ he said.

‘I needed to be with the guys at the start. The class has got really strong over the last few years so I know I’ve got work to do on the 100m.

‘I’ve got the 800m to come which is my primary event. I’ve got a feel for the call room process and racing on the track so hopefully that experience will help for my 800m.’

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Tags: Ben Rowlings, Japan, Sammi Kinghorn, Tokyo 2020 Paralympics