Hollie Arnold (Scott Knighton, Blackheath & Bromley) claimed bronze in the F46 javelin on day one of the World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi.
Opening the competition with a season's best throw of 41.91 took the lead. The Dutch competitor, Roorda threw a personal best of 43.74 in her fourth attempt to snatch the top spot from Arnold in the third round.
At her eighth World Championships, Hollie impressively consistently threw over 40m, but the Uzbekistan athlete, Yigitalieva claimed the silver just 3cm ahead of her. After taking the last nine months off from the sport following the Paris Paralympic Games, Hollie had mixed emotions after the competition.
"It's amazing to come out here and medal at all – it's been a real journey for me this year. I've had nine months off and that's a really long time – the longest I've ever had in my career. It's on the day and unfortunately, the girls just threw a little bit further than me.
But I came out and threw consistently – there was a really big throw in there – it's just life. I'm so proud of myself – and it's taken a very long time to feel like that.
"I was absolutely broken after Paris – I didn't think there was a way back, so to come here and win another major medal makes me so proud of myself." International debutant Amy Thompson (Mark Edwards, Liverpool Pembroke & Sefton) threw 8.33 in the F41 shot put to finish in a solid seventh place in a strong field, with the winning throws coming from the last throw of the competition.
"I'm really happy, throwing 8.33 is a decent distance for what I have been doing this season. With my PB of 8.52, which is not far off, it's really good to compete against such a good field.
"It was a really good opportunity to take it all in. I hope this experience fuels me, makes me want to do this more and makes me want to train harder. This is a very good opportunity and I don't take it for granted." Thomas Young (Joe McDonnell, Charnwood), the Tokyo Paralympic Gold medallist, progressed through his heat in third place with a new personal best of 10.91, securing a spot in the final tomorrow evening.
"I wanted to get out a bit quicker. I wanted to put down a quicker time, but it is a PB to be fair, so I can't be too upset.
“The main thing about the heats is getting through. I have tested quicker as I know how quick I can run.
“Today was just about getting through and having the nerves disappear. I have done that, and now I can properly focus on the final tomorrow night."
Fellow debutant, Finlay Menzies (Graeme Reid, Livingston) closed the opening day winning his heat in the T71 400m with the second quickest time overall, running a new personal best of 1:09, progressing him to the final tomorrow evening. "I wasn't really thinking about it, I was just going all out.
“I always go out as fast as I can and then hold it. Because the way that my body works I can't tell what different efforts feel like so I just try to go out as fast as I can and try and hold it.
"It is so amazing to get the opportunity to be able to put frame running out there and show it to other countries who haven't not have seen it yet." This event will be making its debut at the LA 2028 Paralympic Games. He will go again in the 100m later in the Championships.
