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Hannah

Cockroft

The 20-year-old blitzed her rivals to win in a time of 18.06 secs - a new Paralympic record.

The result was never in doubt from the moment Cockroft, who has cerebral palsy, stole a march on the rest of the field with a flying start, and the Halifax youngster never looked back.

It was Paralympic GB's fourth gold of the Games and the second of day two, following Mark Colbourne's triumph in the Velodrome.

After her emphatic victory, Cockroft told Channel 4: "I've been working for the last four years for that. That was a good race.

The 100m is actually my weakest event - Hannah Cockroft

"On the start line I knew I'd beaten all these girls before. Looking at their times from the heats and their personal bests I was miles ahead of them. I knew deep down I could do it, but it's always what happens on the day."

Asked what was going through her head when she crossed the finishing line, Cockroft said: "I kind of was deciding whether to cry or laugh or what to do. It's a little bit surreal when you've been dreaming about it for so long and then it just kind of happens in, what, 18 seconds?

'You're kind of like 'I want to do it again. I can do it better.' I've got it now. I can't complain.

"When there's so many people here supporting you they really, really do carry you along.

"I was kind of like 'I don't know whether they're going to distract me or carry me along', but as soon as the gun went off it just erupted in here and it was amazing. I loved it."

Cockroft is now turning her attentions to the 200m and sent an ominous warning to her rivals. 

She said: "The 100m is actually my weakest event. Hopefully I can pick up a better lead in the 200."