Thomas Young admits to being outclassed after failing to defend Paralympic sprint title

By James Toney in Paris

Thomas Young admitted he was outclassed as he just missed a medal in the defence of his Paralympic 100m title.

Young, who trains at Charnwood Athletic Club, set a personal best at the recent London Diamond League to mean he arrived in Paris with high hopes of retaining the T38 100m crown he won in Tokyo.

But he could only watch as American Jaydin Blackwell scorched to a 10.64 second world record and his time of 11 seconds was just slower than the 10.99 secs clocked by the bronze medallist.

"I'm gutted, it's been my best season ever and this is just a totally horrible feeling," said Young, who is one of over 1,000 elite athletes on UK Sport’s National Lottery-funded World Class Programme, allowing them to train full time, have access to the world’s best coaches and benefit from pioneering medical support – which has been vital on their pathway to the Paris 2024 Games.

"My leg cramped up in the call room before the race but no excuses, it just wasn't my night. I've got off the track injury free, the tears will dry, and I can focus on the future."

If the sprinters are the swaggering chest thumping showman of the Olympics, running off their mouths as quick as gallop down the track, then there is a marked difference here at the Paralympics.

And Blackwell, the new force in the T38 classification - contested by athletes with coordination impairments - proves that nice guys don't always come last. He even delayed the start of his race to help Chinese rival Zhou Peng with strapping that had come off his leg.

Three years ago, there was not a single American in the field in Tokyo but with the Los Angeles Games on the horizon, the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee decided something needed to be done and fast.

The prospect of not being competitive in the blue-riband events at their home Games was simply not palatable and a talent identification programme was quickly initiated, with three finalists here the result and Blackwell's transition from High School football star to track and field rewarded.

"The Americans have scouted athletes from other sports, and they are doing such a good job to bring these guys in for LA - they aren't going to be easy to beat," added Young.

"Getting revenge for this in LA is the ambition now, it's a good and bad thing we've got such a long time to wait but I'm going to work hard and focus on getting stronger."

National Lottery players raise more than £30million a week for Good Causes including vital funding into sport – from grassroots to elite. To find out more visit: www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk