Orla Comerford has secured her second medal of the World Para Athletics Championships after a battling performance in the T13 100m final. Comerford held off the challenge of Engelleiter of Germany to claim the bronze medal right on the finish line.
Comerford came into the race in relaxed form after winning her first medal of the championships on Wednesday in the 200m final. She was the last to settle in the blocks just before the starters gun sounded.
Orla got off to a good start just behind the World and European Record holder, Leilia Adzhametova, who ran on to claim the gold medal in a new championship record of 11:93. Carolina Duarte had gotten off to a slow start but she powered through the second 50m to earn the silver medal.
Comerford was then left in a battle with Engeleiter for the bronze medal and showed great grit to hold off that challenge and take the bronze medal by just 0:01 seconds in a time of 12:82.
Orla is the second last Irish para athlete to compete at these games and has contributed to bronze medals to Team Ireland’s incredible haul of 8 medals to date with Jason Smyth (2 gold), Noelle Lenihan (1 Gold), Orla Barry (1 Gold) Great Streimikyte (1 Gold) and Jordan Lee (1 Bronze) being the other medallists.
The only athlete yet to compete is Niamh McCarthy who is due to defend her title at the F41 Discus at 2:30pm on Sunday.
