The London 2012 T51 class Paralympian crossed the finish line at Hamline University in 25.77sec, shaving nearly three seconds off the previous record set by Canada’s Becky Richter last month.

Mitchell won silver in the distance at the 2013 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships in Lyon.

Accompanying Mitchell in rewriting the record books was Roderick Townsend, newcomer at this level.

Townsend, a recent graduate of Boise State University where he competed in track and field, leaped 2.07 metres in the men’s F12/42-47 long jump, adding two centimetres to the former mark.

Three-time Paralympian Jeff Skiba pushed Townsend throughout the opening heights, taking second with a successful attempt of 2.04m.

“I never thought this would be something for me until I met Jeff Skiba,” said Townsend.

“He introduced me to [Paralympics] and from that point on I’ve been doing what I’m doing.

“It’s been a great experience and I feel like I’m in a really good place.”

Townsend set an American high jump record with a 1.90m mark at May’s Desert Challenge Games, an IPC Athletics Grand Prix event, in Tempe, Arizona.

He also won the men’s 100m, taking gold in a wind-assisted T45-47 race in 11.34.

It was a familiar face-off in the women’s T54 100m race with Tatyana McFadden and sister Hannah battling for the title.

Hannah pushed out to the early lead before Tatyana came from behind in the last 25m to capture the win in 16.53 seconds.

All eyes were on the men’s T43/44 100m event as world record holder Richard Browne shot out of the start to pull away from the talented Paralympic pack of Jarryd Wallace, Blake Leeper, and Jerome Singleton for the title win with a time of 10.78.

The day of sprints and field events saw numerous other national champions crowned, including three-time Paralympic gold medallist and world record holder Jeremy Campbell, winner of the men’s F11/12/37/42 discus with a throw of 57.23m.

Among the other champions were David Brown in the men’s T11 100m, as well as Raymond Martin in the men’s T52 100m and Kerry Morgan in the women’s T51/52 100m.

Angela Madsen triumphed in the women’s F33/34/53/57 shot put, while Shaquille Vance claimed the men’s T42 100m title and April Holmes came out on top in the women’s T43/44 100m. 

Rachel Kroener set a US record of 5.90m for the F34 class in the women’s F33/34/53/57 shot put, while Alexa Halko’s time of 18.60 saw her achieve the same feat for the T34 class in the women’s T33/34 100m.

Rachael Morrison also registered a new national mark for the F51 class in the women’s F51/52 discus, with a throw of 11.24m.

Competition is due to conclude tomorrow with a final morning session.


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