The 20-year-old wheelchair racer was in a class of her as she won in a Paralympic record of 18.06sec, taking 0.18 off the mark she had set earlier today in the heats, to beat Amy Siemons of the Netherlands by more than a second-a-half behind in 19.49.

"That was absolutely incredible," said Cockroft.

"I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when crossed the finish line.

"It's a bit surreal when you're dreaming about if for so long and then it just kind of happens, in 18 seconds.

"I was a bit nervous because a lot of people out there expected me to do that.

"I knew I could but you have to keep you feet on the ground."


Cockroft's dominance was matched by Ireland's Jason Smyth, who laid an impressive marker as he started his defence of the T13 100m title by breaking his own world record on the super-fast London track.

Smyth, who eased up in the final stages of the race, beat his own world Paralympic record by clocking a time of 10.54 which is still 0.30 off his season best this year.

The 25-year-old from Derry in Northern Ireland, who trains with America's former world 100m and 200m champion Tyson Gay, had narrowly failed to make the Olympics and is clearly determined to make up for it here. 
 
"I know I am in good shape and I am glad to be able to show this in my performance," said Smyth (pictured below), who is visually impaired.  



"It was disappointing not to make the Olympics but the Paralympics is always important to me and it is good to represent Ireland and hopefully medal for my country"

World records also lit up all four field event finals in the evening session, with the most eye-catching definitely Germany's Markus Rehm who won the F42/F44 long jumpi with an effort of 7.35 metres. 

Rehm (pictured) had set a F44 world record of 7.09m to win at the 2011 World Championships in Christchurch but quickly consigned that to history when he leapt to 7.14m in the first round before improving it even further in the fourth. 


Latvia's Aigars Apinis also had the mantle of favourite on his broad shoulders and he rose to the challenge to set a F52 shot put world record of 10.23m with his second throw, adding 20cm to his world record from the 2011 World Championships.

The distance made him a comfortable winner of the the F52/53 men's shot put title for seated athletes.

America's Alexsey Ashapatov and defended his title from Beijing 2008 in fine fashion with a F58 world record of 60.72m, an improvement of 3.08m on his performance at the World Championships last year. 

Morocco's Najat El Garraa caused an upset when she took the F40 women's discus with a world record 32.37m in the fifth round.

That beat the world record set in the opeing round by favourite Raoua Tlili, who had thrown 31.16m, adding 16 centimetres to her own record. 

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