Para Athletics World Championships: Jonathan Broom-Edwards wins high jump gold

Britain’s Jonathan Broom-Edwards made it three high jump titles in a row at the Para Athletics World Championships in Kobe.

Broom-Edwards, the 2019 world gold medallist and Paralympic champion, shared gold at last year’s Worlds in Paris with Poland’s Maciej Lepiato.

In Japan the 35-year-old’s first-time clearance at 2.04m was enough for gold.

Silver went to USA’s former American football player Derek Loccident, who lost the lower part of his leg in a train accident in 2019 and who cleared 2.04 at the third time of asking for a new personal best.

Lepiato, who failed three times at 2.04, took bronze and, when Broom-Edwards and Loccident could not clear 2.07, the title went to Broom-Edwards on countback.

“We set out a plan and we put it into motion, and we ticked all the boxes,” he said.

“There is still a lot to work on with the performance even though it is early in the season.

“I am so happy with how the competition went. My body is battered now; I think I celebrated a bit too hard on the 2.04m clearance.

“It is so good to see so many new faces in the competition. The field was stacked and it is amazing to see the sport is evolving and see the young whipper-snappers coming up and teaching us old dogs how to do it.”