Gold and world record for hard-to-please Roberts

By Paul Carter

David Roberts clocked up Paralympic gold medal number ten as he broke the world record in the S7 400m freestyle at the Water Cube.

Welshman Roberts picked up his third Beijing gold by holding off the challenge of American Lantz Lamback, who was coming back to challenge over the last 50m after Roberts had built up an impressive lead.

By then it was too late, and Roberts held on to break the eight-year-old record set  by Dean Booth of New Zealand by 1.4 seconds.

Despite a gold medal and a new world record, he was still not completely happy with the manner of his victory.

“I expected better from myself this evening,” he said.

“I was really nervous when I was coming out and that doesn’t normally happen to me. I wanted to perform better but this is amazing to have my tenth Paralympic gold medal.”

Roberts will now attempt to equal Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson’s record of 11 Paralympic golds when he competes in the S7 50m freestyle on Sunday.