Despite heavy rain throughout the day, Libby Clegg (pictured above, left) managed to underline her credentials for the Paralympics as she stormed to gold in the T12 100 metres in 12.55sec to add the European title to the world title she won in New Zealand last year.

Silver went to Portugal's Anna Kaniuk in 12.66 while Slovakia's Hanka Kolníková took bronze in 12.69 but despite the win, Clegg admitted her modest time was largely down to the conditions.

"It was horrendous out there, the conditions were so bad I just couldn't warm up, and then the thunder started," she said.

"But everything I've been working on with Keith [her coach Keith Antoine] is going really well.

"I'm not overly fussed with the time, I just had to win."


Five-time Paralympian Tracey Hinton (pictured above, right) also proved her class as she took gold in the T11 100m in a blistering time of 13.22, which would have been her quickest time since 2008 had it not been for an illegal wind.

Greece's Paraskevi Kantza took silver in 13.52 with Czech Republic's Miroslava Sedlackova taking bronze in 13.96.

"My 100m seems to be getting better every time I run at the moment," Hinton said.

"I've done a lot of speed work and that's given me confidence and definitely helped me.

"I'm pleased with that today.

Britain's third gold came from surprise package Derek Derenalagi as he won the F57/58 discus event in his first overseas event representing his country.

Despite facing the likes of Russia's world record holder Alexey Ashapatov, Derenalagi (pictured below) appeared unconcerned as he took victory with a throw of 41.41 metres.

Ashapatov was left to take a surprise silver, while bronze went to Jaroslav Petrous of the Czech Republic.


"I just went out there and said to myself I could do it," said the Watford athlete.

"I knew I had a big throw in me so I had to.

"I was throwing with the world record holder but I didn't let it intimidate me, I had to stay confident.

"He threw straight after me and we were both throwing in the rain which was tough, but as soon as he'd thrown I started to believe that I might win it.

"I've learned a lot, I just wasn't expecting it and I can't believe it."

Bev Jones claimed silver for Britain in the F37 shot put behind the Czech Republic's European record holder Eva Berná with another Czech, Viktorya Yasevych, taking the bronze.

Britain also claimed two bronzes with Graeme Ballard finishing third in the T36 100m behind Russian winner Evgenii Shvetcov and Ukrainian silver medallist Roman Pavlyk, while Richard Whitehead took third place on the podium in the T42 100m behind German world champion Heinrich Popow and Denmark's Daniel Jorgensen respectively.

Britain sit just behind Russia on the medal table, who claimed four golds, five silvers and one bronze medal on the opening day.


Russia's best event proved the women's javelin F57/58 where they claimed a one-two with Olga Sergienko (pictured above) taking gold in 20.20m, just outside her own European record, and teammate Larisa Volik picking up the silver with a throw of 18.91m.

Meanwhile, it was Greece who secured the first gold of the championships in a thrilling women's long jump F13 competition.

After sitting in second place for the whole competition, Anthi Karagianni saved her best jump of 4.96m for the last round to beat Ukraine's Iulia Korunchak into silver by just seven centimetres.

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