GRACE GREENWOOD recovered from illness in time to make her mark at an event attended by British Paralympians Hannah Cockroft and David Weir.
The teenager claimed second overall in the T35 class at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Nottwil, Switzerland – behind Tokyo 2020 100m finalist Isabelle Foerder, of Germany. Competing in mixed-classification races, Greenwood bettered her season’s best by 0.69s on Friday before going faster again to win her second race on Saturday, in 18.74s.
Now, the target is to dip back under the 18-second mark and stake a claim for a spot at the 2022 British Championships.
‘I was pretty happy with it because I was ill the week before I went and we weren’t even sure if I was going to go,’ the former CP World Games medallist explained. ‘We decided to go for it and to get the times that I did … they were pretty good and it means I’m on track. Hopefully when I get back in the gym and start training again I should get better.’
Describing her attendance at the Grand Prix – earned thanks to an international licence to compete as a Team GB athlete – Greenwood added: ‘It was really good. It was such an organised event and the track was really good – it was a fast track and it suited me.
‘The T35 athlete who came first overall [Foerder] finished fourth in Tokyo. I was with her for the first heat and it was nice to race against such big names. It was a good experience and an inspiration.’
