PARALYMPIC GAMES: Smyth seeking third 100m gold in Rio

DERRY sprinter, Jason Smyth is favourite to capture his third Paralympic gold medal in the 100m event this afternoon having strolled through his heat in Rio de Janiero last night.
By The Newsroom
Published 9th Sep 2016, 12:55 BST
Updated 15th Sep 2016, 16:24 BST
Jason Smyth of Ireland, lane 4, on his way to winning the Men's 100m - T13 Heat 1 at the Olympic Stadium during the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.Jason Smyth of Ireland, lane 4, on his way to winning the Men's 100m - T13 Heat 1 at the Olympic Stadium during the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Jason Smyth of Ireland, lane 4, on his way to winning the Men's 100m - T13 Heat 1 at the Olympic Stadium during the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The 29 year-old ‘Eglinton flyer’ has never lost a final at a Paralympic games, and has four golds under his belt ahead of today’s final which gets underway at 3.09 p.m., Irish time.

And the partially sighted sprinter, who completed a ‘double, double’ of gold medals in London 2012, plans on ‘stepping it up a notch’ as he attempts to clinch another gold.

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Smyth won his heat comfortably last night in a time of 10.76 seconds despite being the second slowest runner out of the blocks but he soon surged away from his rivals t o clinch first place.

“Tonight was about getting through to the final,” he said. “Tomorrow is about stepping it up another notch and hopefully things can go well.

“At this stage it’s about getting your head right and making sure you can put the race together.

“I’m not worried about times. I know I’m capable of running very quick. At the end of the day finals are about making sure you’re the first person across the line.”