Great Britain at The 2008 Summer Paralympics - Athletics

Athletics

The GB Paralympic team included thirty–five competitors in the sport of athletics, amongst them reigning champions Kenny Churchill, Danny Crates, Daniel Greaves and Stephen Miller. David Weir failed in his attempts to win five gold medals at the Games after suffering from a virus, but did win four medals; two gold, one silver, one bronze; before pulling out of his final event.

British participants were involved in a number of controversies regarding the reallocation of medals during the Games. Shelly Woods was initially awarded the silver medal in the women's 5000 m T54, but a rerun was ordered by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) after the Australian, US and Swiss teams protested the result because six competitors were involved in a crash on the penultimate lap. When the race was rerun Woods won the bronze medal. David Weir believed he had won the gold medal in the men's 800 m T54 but a rerun of the race was ordered after it was discovered that the Australian silver medallist, Kurt Fearnley, had begun the race in the wrong lane. Following a letter from Fearnley and the Australian authorities to the IPC, which asked that the result not be overturned in the spirit of sportsmanship, the rerun was cancelled and Weir's medal reinstated. Discus thrower Rebecca Chin was originally awarded the silver medal in the women's F37–38, but her classification was challenged and Chin was deemed ineligible for the event, stripped of her medal, and her results were erased. The decision was particularly controversial given that Chin had already been assessed earlier in the Games whilst she competed in the women's F37–38 shot put final.

Men—Track
Athlete Events Heat Semifinal Final
Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank
Brian Alldis 800 m T54 1:42.38 7 N/A Did not advance
1500 m T54 3:20.28 6 N/A Did not advance
5000 m T54 DNF – N/A Did not advance
Marathon T54 N/A 1:43:50 34
Graeme Ballard 100 m T36 N/A 12.65 8
200 m T36 N/A 25.69 6
400 m T36 N/A 59.22 8
Mickey Bushell 100 m T53 15.33 3 Q N/A 14.86
200 m T53 27.85 6 N/A Did not advance
Michael Churm 100 m T37 12.55 3 Q N/A 12.60 8
200 m T37 25.30 2 Q N/A 25.36 5
Danny Crates 800 m T46 DNS – N/A Did not advance
Neill Fachie 100 m T13 11.53 5 N/A Did not advance
200 m T13 23.17 5 N/A Did not advance
Ian Jones 200 m T44 23.67 2 Q N/A 23.00
400 m T44 N/A 51.69
John McFall 100 m T42 N/A 13.08
Stephen Payton 200 m T38 24.89 6 N/A Did not advance
400 m T38 N/A 54.02 5
Ben Rushgrove 100 m T36 N/A 12.35
200 m T36 N/A DNS –
David Weir 400 m T54 47.26 1 Q 47.46 1 Q 46.02
800 m T54 1:36.24 1 Q 1:34.27 1 Q 1:36.61
1500 m T54 3:09.55 2 Q 3:10.41 2 Q 3:10.34
5000 m T54 10:21.27 1 Q N/A 10:23.03
Marathon T54 N/A DNS –
Men—Field
Athlete Events Result Rank
Kenny Churchill Javelin F37–38 45.30 m
941 pts		 6
Martin Crutchley Shot put F37 12.72 m
853 pts		 5
David Gale Discus F32/51 8.88 m
904 pts		 11
Daniel Greaves Discus F44 53.04 m
981 pts
Chris Martin Discus F33–34/52 28.37 m
1074 pts
Stephen Miller Discus F32/51 15.44 m
887 pts		 12
Club F32/51 34.37 m
1081 pts
Kieron Murphy Club F32/51 29.03 m
913 pts		 7
Dan Nobbs Shot F53–54 9.13 m
940 pts		 10
Richard Schabel Discus F32/51 9.55 m
973 pts		 8
Club F32/51 21.06 m
875 pts		 10
Nathan Stephens Shot put F57–58 12.57 m
937 pts		 8
Discus F57–58 38.89 m
834 pts		 11
Javelin F57–58 38.56 m
994 pts		 4
Dan West Shot put F33–34/52 10.39 m
963 pts		 8
Discus F33–34/52 37.38 m
951 pts		 6
Women—Track
Athlete Events Heat Semifinal Final
Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank
Kate Arnold 100 m T46 14.04 9 Did not advance
200 m T46 28.83 9 N/A Did not advance
Libby Clegg 100 m T12 12.71 1 Q 12.69 1 Q 12.51
200 m T12 26.42 2 Q 26.16 4 Did not advance
Katrina Hart 100 m T37 14.94 5 Q N/A 15.12 7
200 m T37 31.24 4 Q N/A DNS –
Tracy Hinton 100 m T11 13.14 2 N/A Did not advance
200 m T11 26.58 2 Q N/A 26.68 4
400 m T12 58.89 2 N/A Did not advance
Jenny McLoughlin 100 m T37 15.42 7 N/A Did not advance
200 m T37 32.71 7 N/A Did not advance
Hazel Simpson 100 m T36 N/A 15.40
200 m T36 N/A 32.43
Shelly Woods 800 m T54 1:55.52 3 Q N/A 1:50.03 5
1500 m T54 3:34.41 1 Q N/A 3:40.99
5000 m T54 N/A 12:29.32
Marathon T54 N/A 1:40:03 4
Women—Field
Athlete Events Result Rank
Hollie Arnold Javelin F42–46 29.10 m
794 pts		 11
Rebecca Chin Discus F37–38 * DSQ –
Shot put F37–38 10.47 m
917 pts		 10
Sophie Hancock Discus F40 21.53 m 5
Shot put F40 7.48 m 5
Beverley Jones Discus F37–38 27.27 m
928 pts		 7
Shot put F37–38 10.35 m
1009 pts		 5
Kim Minett Shot put F40 6.92 m 7
Gemma Prescott Discus F32–34/51–53 11.01 m
993 pts		 8
Shot put F32–34/51–53 4.77 m
938 pts		 7
Claire Williams Discus F12–13 35.01 m
823 pts		 5

* Originally awarded the silver medal but stripped of medal and results following a challenge to her classification.

Key
  • DNS = Did not start
  • DNF = Did not finish
  • DQ = Disqualified
  • PR = Paralympic record
  • Q = Qualifiers for the final as decided on a basis of rank within heat
  • q = Qualifiers for the final as decided on a basis of fastest losers from all heats
  • WR = World record

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