Deeside AAC athlete Sabrina Fortune storms to dramatic first world title in Dubai

Deeside AAC athlete Sabrina Fortune won her first world title in dramatic style at the World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai on Thursday evening.

The 22 year old from Mold smashed the championship record with a personal best throw of 13.91m her last in what had been a back and forth battle with Ukraine’s Anastasiia Mysnyk in the women’s shot put F20 final.

European champion Fortune has enjoyed a fine season, matching her 13.70m personal best, and after opening with efforts of 12.32m and 12.79m, she found her stride and threw a Championship record of 13.26m to take the lead in round three.

Mysnyk then threatened to upset Fortune’s charge with a 13.31m in round five and then a 13.48m in round six but the Brit showed immense composure to throw out to a huge personal best and final Championship record of 13.91m for gold.

Having finished sixth and fourth on her last two World Championship appearances with Paralympic bronze at Rio 2016 in between, Fortune said:

“I’m over the moon. There are no words to describe how amazing that moment was. I burst into tears straight after that final throw. And because I was last, it meant nobody could take it [the gold] off me.

“After two long long weeks of being here, I wanted to throw long.

This is the best outcome I could ask for. This is one of the days I’ll remember for the rest of my life. I’ll probably end up crying again when I go onto the podium. It’s a moment which will last forever.”