Brent Lakatos took a break after the Paralympic Games in Tokyo. He returned to competition this spring and on Tuesday, in Paris, he won the 20th medal of his career at the World Para-Athletics Championships.
As he did at the 2019 worlds and at the Paralympic Games two years later, the wheelchair athlete won the silver medal in the 400m in the T53.
Brent Lakatos had finished first in his qualifying heat earlier. It was when he saw his time of 47.86s that he realized he was still in the game, even that he might have what it takes to be crowned world champion.
“I didn’t push 100% [in qualifying], knowing that I had a final in the evening, but the time was fast! I didn’t expect to go so fast after my break and already be in such good shape,” the silver medalist told Sportcom.
The Dorval athlete recorded a time of 46.22 s in the grand final.
Positioned in the sixth lane, he tried to come back down the stretch on the Thai Pongsakorn Paeyo, then in the lead by a few meters. Paeyo had beaten the Quebecer at the 2019 Worlds and at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo over this distance. He resisted again on Tuesday and stopped the clock at 46.11s, a world record in this category. American Brian Siemann took the bronze medal with a time of 48.30 seconds.
“I came a little short!” shared Lakatos with a laugh, happy to find the other competitors and the atmosphere of the World Championships.
He believes he will have to work on his starts if he is to succeed in beating his Thai rival in this event. He also left aside the 100m and the marathon in training to specialize in other distances, including the 400m.
“This year I want to focus on the 400m, 800m and 1500m. I have to do more starts with hard gloves, whereas I was running the 100m with soft gloves, he explained. With a better start, I won’t have to work so much in the last 100 meters. And if I tie with him halfway, I’ll win! »
In addition to earning the 20th medal of his career at worlds, Lakatos secured a Canadian berth at this event in preparation for the Paralympic Games in Paris. He will return to action on Thursday in qualifying for the 1500m.
