Hannah Cockroft and Kare Adenegan lead the way for Coventry athletes at Rio Paralympics - The Coventry Observer

Hannah Cockroft and Kare Adenegan lead the way for Coventry athletes at Rio Paralympics

Coventry Editorial 21st Sep, 2016 Updated: 28th Oct, 2016   0

COVENTRY University student Hannah Cockroft increased her Paralympic gold medal tally to five after dominating the T34 racing category in Rio.

The 24-year-old, who is studying journalism & media at Coventry University, won double gold in London four years ago and she went one better in Brazil last week by successfully defending her 100m T34 title as well as winning the 400m and 800m events.

“It is ridiculous; absolutely ridiculous,” said Cockroft. “Coming into the Games, it was always the aim to win three golds.

“I’ve always said if you don’t think you are going to win, what’s the point in being here?




“It has been tough mentally and physically – I’m very confident over the sprints but the 800m is way out of my comfort zone.

“As I was on my second lap, Dan Greaves lent out of the discus circle and screamed at me. I think I picked up a bit of speed after that. It is fantastic to have such a supportive team out here – the athletes have been great and the staff have been so helpful. It has just been the most amazing Games.”


Coventry’s Kare Adenegan also picked up a hat-trick of medals after finishing runner-up behind Cockroft in 100m T34 event and she also came home with bronze after finishing third in the 400m and 800m races.

The 15-year-old was appearing in her first Paralympics after being inspired by her idol Cockroft in 2012 and she made GB history by securing the 121st medal at the Games, which was a new British Paralympic record.

“To medal in all my events makes me so happy,” said Adenegan, who double bronze at the IPC Athletics World Championships last year.

“The 100m was particularly special; to get that silver medal was a reward because I have worked so hard for it.

“To be on that podium once again with Hannah is great. I was watching 2012 on TV and it is crazy to think I am here winning medals alongside her.”Charlotte Moore formed part of GB’s wheelchair basketball team that came so close to winning a bronze medal but they eventually lost out to the United States at the final hurdle.

The 18-year-old played an integral part in the early rounds as GB progressed from Group A before beating China 57-38 to book a place in the semi-final.

But Moore and her team mates lost out to the USA by 11 points and in the bronze medal match GB were on the wrong end of a 76-34 scoreline.

Coventry’s Sam Ingram headed to Rio with intentions of winning gold having already won bronze in Beijing and silver in London four years ago.

But his chances of winning a third Paralympic medal ended at the quarter-final stage after he lost out to Cuba’s Jorge Hierrezuelo.

Ben Rowlings is another wheelchair racer who trains at Godiva Harriers but the 20-year-old failed to progress past the qualifying stage in both the 100m and 800m T34 event.

Warwick University graduate Oliver James won gold in the mixed coxed four rowing event with team mates Pamela Relph, Grace Clough, Daniel Brown and James Fox.

The GB team lived up to their favourites tag by finishing ahead of America and Canada to win the event in a time of 3:17.17 which was 1.26 seconds short of the Paralympic record set by Germany four years ago.

Oliver, who is from Henley-on-Thames, was first introduced to rowing at Warwick and after graduating four years ago he went on to join the prestigious Leander rowing club in Berkshire before making his GB rowing debut in 2013.

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