Athletics: Day eight preview

Twenty medal events will be contested on day eight (15 September) of the Rio 2016 athletics action at the Olympic Stadium.

The USA can go for their second sweep at the Games, when Tatyana McFadden, Chelsea McClammer and Amanda McGrory take on the women’s 5,000m T54. All three clocked the top fastest times on Wednesday’s qualifying heats. The trio swept the 1,500m on Tuesday, with McFadden taking the top prize, McGrory the silver and McClammer the bronze.

But China has proven its ability to surprise at these Games, and expect reigning world champion Lihong Zou to push hard.

The men’s 100m T42 will be another one to watch. Australia’s reigning world champion Scott Reardon made it look easy when he set the Paralympic record in Wednesday’s heats. But Germany’s Heinrich Popow, the defending champion from London 2012, has clocked quicker times.

The Netherlands’ Marlou van Rhijn will star in the women’s 200m T44, where she is the reigning Paralympic and world champion and record holder. France’s Marie-Amelie le Fur, who took runner-up to Van Rhijn on both occasions, and Germany’s Irmgard Bensusan, are both looking to contend.

In the men’s 400m T44, German world champion David Behre has shown drastic improvement over the years to be considered a favourite. But he will have to keep watch on lane three, where US teenager Hunter Woodhall, runner-up to Behre at Doha 2015, is expected to fly.

After a bronze at London 2012, Moroccan Mohamed Amguoun has a strong chance to reach the top of the podium in the men’s 400m T13. The reigning world champion is also the world record holder and clocked the fastest time in Wednesday’s heats.

The men’s 800m T54 can be anyone’s race. Switzerland’s world record holder Marcel Hug, Great Britain’s defending Paralympic champion David Weir, China’s reigning world champion Chengming Liu and the Netherlands’ World runner-up Kenny van Weeghel are all potential medallists.

The USA’s London 2012 bronze medallist Joshua George and Canada’s world champion Brent Lakatos are expected to battle it out in the men’s 800m T53.

Competitions will be live streamed on Paralympic.org, and cal also be followed on Facebook.com/ipcathletics and on Twitter.