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‘The White Tiger’ Chad Perris is set to roar on Day 4 of the World Para Athletics Championships, a day after Paralympic champion James Turner burned his way to global gold number eight at Stade Charlety in Paris.
Turner secured his sixth world title with victory in the 400m T36 in a time of 52.26 seconds, beating trans-Tasman rival William Stedman (53.62).
It was a stunning return to the international stage for the 27-year-old after he took silver in the 100m T36 at the Tokyo Games.
“It was my first loss and it was very difficult to take, but everyone has to have their first of everything,” Turner said.
“I’ll take the good with the bad. It hurt for a few months but I managed to get back on the horse. My coach Iryna Dvoskina really helped me get through it.”
James Turner, adds world title number six to his extensive resume with a triumphant victory in the 400m T36, maintaining his unbeaten record at the World Para Athletics Championships with a 52.26-second clinic in speed and style.🥇@AUSParalympics @theAIS pic.twitter.com/MxuFon7yGv
— Athletics Australia (@AthsAust) July 11, 2023
Perris secured second place in Heat 2 of the 100m T13, with 11.04 (-0.7), breezing into the Final where he will try to maintain his record of winning a medal at every World Championship since 2015.
“It would mean a lot,” Australia’s fastest-ever Para-athlete said after his Heat.
“Tokyo was really tough and I had a really tough 18 months, but I think since then I’ve done a lot of great work and I’ve got some great people around me.
“I’m in a good position and I’m looking forward to tomorrow night. This is just the warm up and I’ll go hard tomorrow.”
Watch the World Para Athletics World Championships live on 9Now.
Also on Day 3, West Australian training partners Rhiannon Clarke and Ella Pardy posted fourth and fifth place finishes in the 100m T38, with Clarke equalling her Oceania record of 12.91 (+0.2) and Pardy clocking 13.10, the 32-year-old’s fastest time at a major championships.
Debutant Dayna Crees took fourth in the Javelin F34 with 16.84m and Paralympic medallist Sarah Edmiston threw 35.11m in the Discus F64 to also finish fourth.
Wheelchair racer Angela Ballard finished fourth in the 800m T53 in a time of 1:57.23 and now looks to the 400m T53. Rheed McCracken finished eighth in the 400m T34 Final with 51.51, while Sam Carter and Luke Bailey were unable to qualify for the final of the 400m T54.
Teenage sprinters Abbey Craswell and Mali Lovell both advanced to the final of the 100m T36, setting up an exciting Day 4 for Australia.
Read: Day 1 Wrap – ‘Flying’ Strong Strikes Gold, De Rozario Set For Track Return
Read: Day 2 Wrap – ‘Gutsy Clifford Wins Silver, Turner Breezes Into 400m Final’
By: Athletics Australia and Paralympics Australia
Posted: 12 July 2023
