Competing in the Paralympic athletics test event, the Visa London Disability Athletics Challenge, the 19-year-old from Halifax finished third overall in the 100 metres multi-classification race – but her time of 18.56sec gave her a world record in her T34 class.

"In the Olympic Stadium of all places," exclaimed the double world champion (pictured top, on far left) of her stunning achievement.

"It's really exciting and I've already had messages from people all over the world congratulating me.

"I raced on Sunday (May 5) and I was really disappointed with my times.

"I actually started to doubt myself and if I would race well at all today, but my times are better across all my events and things are definitely back on track."

Cockroft was one of three British athletes to break a world record during the Challenge – the final London 2012 test event – as British runners Richard Whitehead, in T42, and Paul Blake, in T36, also got in on the act.


Sprinter Whitehead (pictured above) broke his own world record in the 100 metres with a time of 25.50 to continue to dominate the event in which he is the reigning world champion.

"The stadium was amazing and the atmosphere was good," said 35-year-old Whitehead, also the double-amputee world record holder in the marathon.

"It's been an important day for everyone to get out and gain some confidence.

"I've been working hard to refine a few things and I've had a good solid winter's training.

"Before I went out there today I said I could run 25.5, and I did.

"I didn't want to completely smash it, I just wanted to set a good marker."

Meanwhile, middle-distance racer Blake secured the world record in the 1500m as he ran 4min 34.42sec to better his own mark.

"It's a good feeling and, to be honest, I didn't expect that today because I've been concentrating on the 400m and 800m," said the 22-year-old.

"I'm obviously delighted to have broken the record but it was a tough race with it being mixed class, and while it was great to have those quicker guys in the race I was left really to race the clock."

UK Athletics head coach Peter Eriksson said he was delighted with the performances.

"We've had three world records and a whole host of personal best performances with many of the youngsters really stepping up their game," he said.

It was also a special day for Ireland as Michael McKillop (pictured below) became the first male athlete to set a world record in the Olympic Stadium after slashing a staggering 15 seconds off his T37 1500m best time.


The 22-year-old 800m and 1500m world champion ran 3:59.54 to lead home a field of T20 and T37 athletes, beating his previous world best time of 4min 14.81sec set at last year's International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand.

"It was incredible and enjoyable, and an experience I wanted to get out of my system," said McKillop, who won Paralympic 800m gold at Beijing 2008.

"It's one of those things - you want to walk into a stadium for the Paralympic final without worrying or thinking, 'Oh my god the stadium is huge or the track bigger'.

"It's nice to be here and break a world record.

"Being the first male to do it in this stadium is quite a nice thought and I'm happy."

Following his record-breaking performance in the Olympic Stadium McKillop will start as overwhelming favourite for T37 800m and 1,500m at London 2012.

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