Paralympics: Joy for Kirkcaldy star Ben Sandilands as he wins gold in world record time

In front of a large crowd at the Stade de France including parents Rory and Claire; siblings Jake and Katie and Rory’s parents Tony and Jenny, the Fife Athletic Club star burst clear in the final 200m to triumph from second-placed Portuguese athlete Sandro Baessa (3:49.46) and third-placed American Michael Brannigan (3:49.91).

"It was an amazing feeling,” Sandilands told Channel 4 post race. “The crowd have been really good helping me. I enjoyed it.

"Thank you to the National Lottery and my coach Steve (Doig) and my family and friends.”

The winning time of Sandilands, who had won World gold in Paris last year, shaved 0.1 seconds off the previous global best, held by rival Brannigan since 2017.

Games debutant Sandilands takes the title from fellow Fife AC Owen Miller, who won gold in three mins and 54.57 secs at Tokyo 2020 but is not in France due to injury.

Sandilands’ remarkable achievement has been lauded by a pair of British former Paralympians, Danny Crates and Nathan Stephens.

Crates, 51, who won the 800m at the 2004 Paralympics in Athens, told Channel 4: “The only words I can use to describe that are tactically brilliant.

"If you’ve been working out how to run a 1500m, that is how you run it.

"Brannigan the world record holder took it out so hard. But Ben never, ever panicked.

"Once the Italian came on his shoulder with one lap to go he didn’t panic.

"He let them do the work and then with 200m to go, when he made his move he was decisive.

"And he absolutely destroyed that field, destroyed them on the track and destroyed them off the track.

"They were all laying over the track. And then after the race, in true Ben style, he went round and he helped every athlete up off the track before he went and celebrated.

"A world record and a massive personal best, just brilliant. It’s the only words.”

And Stephens, a former javelin thrower, added: “The top four all went under the Paralympic record time so the race was phenomenal, such a quick race.

"Ben stuck to his race plan and it paid off. It was amazing.”