Jason Smyth crosses the line to win gold in the Men's 200m T13 Final at the London Paralympics
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Silver medalist Luis Felipe Gutierrez of Cuba , Gold medalist Jason Smyth of Ireland and bronze medalist Jonathan Ntutu of South Africa pose on the podium during the medal ceremony in the Men's 100m - T13 Final at the London 2012 Paralympic Games
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Biography
At London 2012 the world’s fastest Paralympian completed a unique double double, retaining the 100m and 200m titles he had won in Beijing four years earlier.
Described by his training partner Tyson Gay, the second fastest able bodied sprinter of all-time, as one of the most technically gifted sprinters alive, Smyth was unbeatable in London’s Olympic Stadium winning two golds and setting three world records.
In the 100m heats he ran 10.54 to break his own world record. He then went even faster in the final recording 10.46 to stand top of the podium.
Although unable to break his own world record in the 200m heats, Smyth did not disappoint in the final running 21.05 to rewrite the history books once again.
The Irishman first broke on to the scene at the 2006 IPC Athletics World Championships in the Netherlands when he won 100m (10.86) and 200m (21.83) gold. Two years later at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games he set new worlds records to claim gold in the 100m (10.62) and 200m (21.43).
Unfortunately a back injury ruled him out of the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships in New Zealand, although he did recover in time to compete in the 100m at the 2011 IAAF World Championships in Korea, whilst fellow Paralympian Oscar Pistorius took to the track in the 400m.
Smyth regularly trains in Florida, USA together with American sprint king Gay, who likens Smyth in full flight to US sprinter Maurice Greene. He says his technique puts him in the top five of all-time, along with the likes of Carl Lewis and Asafa Powell.
In Lyon he will be a force to be reckoned with, and should the conditions be right he might fancy his chances of running faster than 10.22, his personal best in able bodied competition set in May 2011.
