Sport

Regrading hits Smyth preparation

DOUBLE Paralympic sprint champion Jason Smyth has had to make last-minute adjustments to his preparations for the IPC Athletics European Championships, which get going this morning in Swansea.

The Northern Ireland 100m champion only heard yesterday that he has been regraded from category T13 to T12 following a re-examination of his eyesight.

The lower the number beside the classification, the more severe the disability. Thus, going from T13 to T12 is an indication that Smyth's Stargardt's Disease has become more serious since last year's world games in Lyon.

The news came as a surprise to Smyth, who is now based in London, and he admits it is difficult to understand a reclassification so close to a major Paralympic event.

"It was not what I was expecting," said Smyth.

"I have found it hard to get my head around the fact that a few days before my competition everything has changed - the days I am competing, who I compete against, everything.

"It also means since the last time I was classified my eyesight has got worse which is never what you want to hear."

However, it is not all bad news for the Eglinton man. Recent changes made by the International Paralympic Committee meant that Smyth would only have had a single 100m race at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, but now as a T12 athlete he will be able to do both sprints.

"Saying all that, it doesn't change what I want to achieve," he said.

"I want to run faster, have more success in Paralympic sport and continue to bridge the gap between Paralympic and able-bodied sport."

Smyth leads a team of eight Irish athletes in Swansea, which includes fellow double Paralympic and world champion Michael McKillop as well as London Paralympic medallists in the throwing events, Orla Barry and Catherine O'Neill.

Heather Jameson kicks off the Irish action this morning in the women's T37 100m heats at 10.08am before Smyth lines up for his 100m at 10.58am.

Their respective 100m finals (if they go through) will be decided at 5.20pm and 3.40pm respectively. John McCarthy takes part in the T51 400m final this evening.

Springwell (Limavady) athlete Sally Brown represents Britain in the T46 category 100m and 400m. Brown, who had a double stress fracture last year, has only competed on two occasions this year.

However, the Loughborough student has form and was a double bronze medallist in these championships two years ago.

Britain will have to do without six-time Paralympic champion David Weir, who has pulled out of the event due to injury.

Weir was due to compete in four races in Swansea against his great Swiss rival Marcel Hug but has been forced to withdraw with tendinitis in his arm.

The 35-year-old won four Paralympic gold medals at London 2012 in T54 events at 800m, 1500m, 5000m and the marathon following two golds at Beijing four years earlier.