Sports
Paralympics 2024: Great Britain’s Hannah Cockroft wins T34 800m gold
Cockroft, 31, further cemented her reputation as one of the all-time Para-athletics greats.
Her title comes three weeks and five days before she is set to get married.
“[My fiance’s] voice was the last one I heard,” she told Channel 4. “It means so much. He understands what goes into that performance.
“I’ll go home, have an amazing wedding and have a great life.”
With 16 world titles and the world record in 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m in her discipline, Cockroft was the overwhelming favourite at the Stade de France.
She got off to a superb start in lane eight, quickly building a substantial lead, and time trialled her way to the line.
She celebrated by ringing the bell at the side of the track nine times, one for each of her Paralympic medals, in front of a feverish support.
“The atmosphere was amazing,” she added. “I could feel the noise following me around, it’s like being back in London, I love it.”