By James Crook

July 26 - Brazilian sprinter Alan Oliveira has completed his treble of gold medals at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships at the Stadium of Parilly in Lyon, setting a record in the T44 400 metres to add another gold to his collection.

The 20-year-old double leg amputee crossed the line in a Championship best 48.58sec to finish clear of American pair Blake Leeper and David Prince, who took silver and bronze respectively, to add to his earlier 100m and 200m titles.

He succeeded as champion Oscar Pistorius, who decided not to defend his title after being charged with the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in February.

"I was so happy when I crossed the line and I saw the time," said Oliveira.

"To run 48 [seconds] when I don't train for this distance was great.

"I bet my coach now asks me to do more 400 metres.

"After what I did on the 200m, I was very happy with myself and very confident for the 400m

"I only realised when I looked at the big screen and saw my opponents so far behind that I could run 48 seconds.

"I'm completely thrilled to go back home with three golds."

But Leeper, who ran a personal best 49.30, can feel himself catching up with the Brazilian, and vowed to go faster next time he faces his rival.

American Blake Leeper (left) feels he is catching up with Oliveira who took his third gold medal of the championships

"If I just had 10 more metres, I would have had him," Leeper said.

"It felt really good, really fast today.

"A sub-50 400 meters is really good for the sport.

"I'm glad to take a silver medal home for my country.

"It gives me a little bit to work on when I get home.

"The next race will be faster and I hope that I'll finally have that gold medal."

There were further hat-tricks on the track on day seven in Lyon for Canadian Brent Lakatos, Australia's five-time Paralympic champion Evan O'Hanlon and Russia's Egvenii Shvetcov.

Wheelchair sprinter Lakatos emulated Oliveira to take a Championship record of 14.5 in the T53 100m on his way to his third gold of the Championships, falling just 0.04 short of the world record of British Paralympic champion Mickey Bushell, who took silver.

"Wow, one silver and three golds," said Lakatos following his win.

"I made a very fast start and gave everything in the last 20 metres.

"I had a very specific training for this race with a focus on the power I can develop.

"Everything went as planned as I will come back stronger for the next Games."

Canada's Brent Lakatos completed his treble of gold medals with a personal best in the T53 100m

The 25-year-old T34 sprinterO'Hanlon went one better than the silver medal he won at the last World Championships to complete his own hat-trick of gold medals in the 400m, finishing in 50.55 ahead of South Africans Dyan Buis and Union Sekailwe, who took silver and bronze respectively.

The feat is even more impressive considering O'Hanlon had been "bed-ridden" in hospital for two weeks with viral meningitis recently and had missed a large chunk of training time as a result.

"It's great to have three gold medals and to know that I can compete like this after such a hampered build-up," said the 27-year-old from Sydney.

"Of course I would have liked to run a bit quicker, but realistically that would have been asking too much of myself in such a short time since hospital and I am proud that I have been able to perform as I have.

"It has been a long week.

"I have had one race after the other, and coming into today I thought I would really struggle to get around.

"It hasn't been as comfortable as I would like it to be and I think that makes the medals all the more rewarding."

Australia's Evan O'Hanlon celebrates his third world title as he crosses the line in first in the 400m

Shvetcov edged out Britain's 800m T36 champion Paul Blake by 0.45 in the 400m to add his third medal of the Championships to his collection, finishing in 56.27 to add to his 100m and 200m titles already won this week.
O'Hanlon's Australian team-mate Scott Reardon added another gold for his nation in somewhat unconventional circumstances, finishing dead level on 12.68 with Germany's Paralympic champion Heinrich Popow in the T42 100m, meaning the rivals both took the gold.

Despite the win initially being awarded to Popow, a successful appeal from the Australians meant that both would take a gold medal.

"0.03 seconds separated Heinrich and I coming into this Championship in terms of personal best, and today we can't even be split," said Reardon.

"The last three races we have been in we have been separated by a total of 0.05 seconds highlighting how good this rivalry is.

"I could feel him coming, and with about 20 metres to go a little bit of air came into my leg and I probably let it go to my head a bit.

"It's one thing to run quick, but another to capitalise on an opportunity and that's what Heinrich did.

"It's a credit to him for bringing us this close."

Reardon and Popow crossed the line together to both take gold in the T42 100m

Paralympic champion Popow admitted that he was getting nervous over Reardon's form as the Australian continues to improve.

"I always said that I am the old man of this race, and as the young guy he is pushing me every step of the way," he said.

"Since the Paralympic Games I have said to my coach and the team behind me that he is coming, that he has an amazing running technique and that he will more than likely beat me here in Lyon.

"If he keeps running like this then I need to train harder than I ever have to stay in front of him because at the rate of his improvement, considering he has only been in the sport for four years, he will beat me more often than not soon."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]

Related stories

July 2013: Smyth emulates roommate McKillop in securing double double
July 2013: Hahn emerges as new star as claims world title after being inspired by London 2012
July 2013: Peacock and Oliveira live up to hype at IPC World Championships
July 2013: Home delight as Francois-Elie wins first gold for France on third day of IPC World Championships
July 2013: Oliveira and Wallace sprint to gold and world records at IPC World Championships