Young guns sprint to silver

By Paul Carter

Student sprinters Libby Clegg and Ben Rushgrove both picked up creditable silver medals as Great Britain’s strong athletics form continued in the Bird’s Nest.

In the T12 100m, Edinburgh-based Clegg and her guide runner Lincoln Asquith  broke clear of the field, but couldn’t overturn the lead of Ukrainian Oxana Boturchuk, who went on to take gold.

Clegg clocked 12:99 while Boturchurk finished in 12.51

“The Ukrainian athlete is wicked fast,” said Clegg.

“Hopefully she'll be there in London 2012 and we can have a good rematch.”

Meanwhile, 20-year-old Ben Rushgrove also finished behind a Ukrainian as Roman Pavlyk claimed the gold in the T36 100m.

Rushgrove, the world record-holder over 200m, hit a personal best of 12.35 on his way to silver, while Pavlyk broke a Paralympic record with 12.25.

“I came out of my blocks well and pushed all the way for silver,” he said.

“The Ukraine athlete beat me at the 2006 world champs, but I didn't think he would run that fast.”

Rushgrove goes in the 200m next Monday.