Bermuda's Paralympic star Jessica Lewis has started the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Switzerland in impressive fashion, claiming gold in the T53 Women’s 200 meters on Day One of the competition.
Lewis powered her way to victory, crossing the finish line in a time of 30.81 seconds. Belgium's Joke Stragier finished second, some way behind in 39.94 seconds, while Gohar Navasardyan from Armenia rounded out the podium in third place, clocking 1 minute and 36.48 seconds.
Speaking to www.islandstats.com after her victory, Lewis expressed her satisfaction with the result, despite challenging weather conditions. “I’m happy with the time. I was hoping to be under 30 seconds but had some strong winds to contend with.”
Lewis highlighted a strong start to her race and her ability to maintain speed throughout. “I was thrilled with my start and through the first 100m and was able to add a bit more speed and maintain a higher pace through the second half which felt great.”
The Bermudian athlete also explained a recent adjustment to her racing equipment that is contributing to her performance. “I’ve gone down in push rim size which is helping me maintain a higher pace through hand speed which is my strong suit versus tons of power because of my size.”
Lewis's gold medal on Day One is a fantastic start to the Grand Prix and will undoubtedly provide a significant boost as she continues her preparations for future major para-athletics events.
