Smyth and McKillop claim golds for Ireland in Doha

Still no stopping Jason Smyth – the fastest Paralympics athlete in history winning another sprint gold medal at the World Championships in Doha this afternoon.

It was won with typical dominance too, Smyth clocking a season best of 10.62 seconds to win the T13 100 metres will ample room to spare. It brings to nine the number of gold medals Smyth has now won in Paralympics competitions, including double-sprint gold at both the Beijing and then London Paralympics.

The Derry sprinter nailed the perfect start, and after that the only question was how much he'd win by: Gustavo Araujo from Brazil took silver in 10.90, although by then Smyth was well past the finishing line and performing his victory salute. His time of 10.62 was even more impressive given it was run into a +2.3 headwind.

There will be no sprint double in Doha, however, as Smyth has opted out of the 200m and instead will return to his training base in London, where next week his wife is due to give birth to their first child.

His gold was the second medal won for Ireland so far in Doha, with Niamh McCarthy delivering a first medal yesterday when winning bronze in her discus event.

Just over an hour after Smyth won gold, Michael McKillop also defended his T38 800 metres title – and in equally emphatic fashion. After sitting comfortably at the front for the opening lap, McKillop then surged in front at the bell, quickly opening a comfortable lead: he held that around the final lap to take the win in a season’s best of 2:01.31.

It was actually the 10th gold medal won at major Paralympics competition for McKillop, who suffers from mild cerebral palsy; later in the week he will also look to defend his 1,500m title. His winning margin was over a second, with the silver medal won by the Tunisian Abbes Saidi in 2:02.34.