Durand delivers world record to claim T11 400m title at IPC Athletics World Championships

Cuba's Omara Durand broke the women's T12 400m world record ©Getty Images

Cuba’s Omara Durand delivered a stunning performance to win the women’s T11 400 metres title in a world record time at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships in Doha, Qatar.

The double gold medallist at the London 2012 Paralympics was one of several athletes to claim world records on the second day of action at the Qatar Sports Club as she lowered the previous mark of 53.67 seconds, set by France’s Assia El Hannouni in 2004, by clocking 53.05.

Ukraine’s Oxana Boturchuk and Mozambique’s Edmilsa Governo completed the podium having finished in 54.92 and 58.68 respectively, however the duo had proved unable to challenge the Cuban star.

“I am so very proud of this gold medal and my new world record,” Durand, a visually impaired athlete who ran with a guide, said afterwards.

“It has been a hard competition but our hard work paid off in the end.

“I would like to thank everyone involved for the perfect organisation of the event and how well we have been looked after here.”

Russia’s Egor Sharov produced another high quality performance in the track events as he posted a Championship record time of 1min 53.16sec to claim gold in the men’s T13 800m, after his compatriot Evgenii Shvetcov had achieved the same feat by clocking 53.70 to win the T36 400m title.

Germany's Markus Rehm claimed a comfortable victory in the men's T44 long jump ©Getty Images

The United States’ Jaquvis Hart also finished inside of the previous Championship record to ensure top spot on the men’s T47 400m podium, with his time of 48.17 seeing him finish narrowly ahead of Jamaica’s Shane Hudson and Russia’s Alexey Kotlov, who clocked 48.89 and 48.92 in a competitive final.

World records continued to fall in the field events with Germany’s Markus Rehm, the reigning Paralympic champion, delivering one of the highlights of the evening's action as he leapt 8.40m in the T44 long jump event.

It saw the German increase his previous best mark of 8.29m and secure a comfortable victory, with The Netherlands’ Ronald Hertog finishing some way adrift in second having achieved a distance of 7.26m.

Rehm's distance would have seen him win the London 2012 Olympic title, as Britain's gold medallist then Greg Rutherford only managed 8.31m.

Tunisia’s Raoua Tlili produced a world record throw of 29.70m to win the F41 discus title ahead of her team-mate Fathia Amaimia, while China’s Na Mi threw 13.56m to successfully defend her F37 shot put crown.