Aled Davies eyes world record at Paralympics after defending shot put title

Aled Davies vowed to be ready to challenge for world records at this summer’s Paralympics after securing his sixth consecutive F63 shot put title at the World Para Athletics Championships in Japan.

The Welshman, who turned 33 on Friday, beat Iran’s Faisal Sorour in Kobe, with a furthest attempt landing at 15.60m just over three months before the Paralympics open in Paris.

Hip injury

It was a 10th world title overall for the three-time Paralympic champion, who also has four world discus golds in his collection but was last season plagued by a hip injury and after Saturday’s victory revealed he had only been throwing pain free for five weeks.

“I just need two months of work,” said Davies.

“Then I’ll be ready to go after that world record. Today we got the job done, perhaps it was pretty ugly, but it is another world title which I am delighted with.

“There are so many things I am going to take away which I am going to apply in Paris. I am looking forward to coming back and throwing further than ever.

“It is crazy to think I have 10 world titles and six consecutive shot put titles. No one has ever done that in the field. It is surreal. The main one this year is that Paralympic Games, so this sets me up quite nicely.”

Bronze

Nathan Maguire claimed the first World Championship medal of his career in the final event of the competition with bronze in the men’s T54 800m.

After fifth and sixth places in the 1500m and 400m respectively, the 26-year-old pipped Kuwait’s Faisal Alrajehi by just 0.03 seconds to cross the line in 1min 35.27secs, close enough that he had to look up at the board to confirm he had done enough.

Maguire said: “It is everything, isn’t it?

“I have been to every single major championship since 2016 and this is the first time I have got on the World Championship podium. To do it now gives me a lot of confidence going into the rest of the year, knowing I can race these guys and beat them.”

Earlier, co-captain Ali Smith, who on Friday won silver as part of the 4x100m relay quartet, placed fifth in the women’s T38 400m.

The British team finished the championships with a 12-medal haul of seven gold, two silver and three bronze.