Great Britain's Hannah Cockroft wins third successive 100m gold at Tokyo Paralympics
Cockroft, 29, bettered her own record with a time of 16.39 seconds to overhaul team-mate Kare Adenegan, who took silver ahead of Australia's Robyn Lambert. There were two rowing golds as GB's PR2 mixed double sculls pair Lauren Rowles and Laurence Whiteley, and the PR3 mixed coxed four-team successfully defended their respective Paralympic titles.
Rowles and Whiteley, the reigning world and European champions, won by 4.86 seconds from the Netherlands, while China took bronze. The mixed four of 2016 gold medallist James Fox, plus Ellen Buttrick, Ollie Stanhope, Giedre Rakauskaite and cox Erin Kennedy finished 11.05 seconds clear of closest challengers in the USA.
GB's Lauren Steadman was victorious n the triathlon, PTS5 event, which also saw Claire Cashmore win bronze, while George Peasgood earned silver behind Rio champion Martin Schulz in the men's race.
Defending champion Will Bayley, who, like Steadman, is a former Strictly Come Dancing contestant, had to settle for silver as he was beaten by China's Yan Shuo in the table tennis men's singles class seven, losing 3-1 in the final after taking the first game.
GB is guaranteed two medals in judo with Elliot Stewart in the men's -90kg gold-medal contest and Chris Skelley in the -100kg gold event later on Sunday. Wheelchair racer Cockroft, a 12-time world champion, increased her impressive collection of Paralympic titles in style, following her treble in the 100m, 400m and 800m events at Rio 2016.
The ParalympicsGB co-captain, who will also contest the 800m in Tokyo, had improved her world records in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m earlier this year. And though Adenegan, who clocked 17.03, made the faster start, Cockroft overhauled her fellow Briton.
"This last 18 months has been so weird and so, so hard. I wish the stadium had been full to witness that," Cockroft told Channel 4."It's so special. It just feels like a massive, massive relief. We didn't know if we'd be here in Tokyo. I was so nervous. I did everything I could, and thankfully it was enough.
"I know Kare is a strong starter. She's always good off the gun, so I knew I had to let her go and take my time."On aiming for the 800m title next, she added: "The 800m is my comfortable event now. I am confident, but it's all to play for."
Victory in the women's triathlon was redemption for Steadman, who had to settle for silver in the PT4 triathlon at Rio 2016 after a costly mistake during the swim as she missed a crucial buoy.
However, she made no such error in Tokyo, finishing in one hour 4.46 seconds - 41 seconds ahead of the USA's defending champion Grace Norman - with Cashmore two minutes and 50 seconds behind her compatriot.
American Norman led after the 750m swim, but Steadman swept past her rival on the 20km bike and established an 18-second advantage which she extended in the final 5km run.
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