IRELAND'S Jason Smyth has claimed his sixth Paralympic gold medal after winning the Men's 100m T13 final in Tokyo.
Smyth edged out Skander Djamil Athmani in a photo finish, with the Irishman coming in just one hundredth of a second quicker than the Algerian.
Smyth's time of 10.53 was a season's best as he took Ireland's medal haul in Tokyo to three.
Beijing 2008 🇮🇪🥇
London 2012 🇮🇪🥇
Rio 2016 🇮🇪🥇
Tokyo 2020 🇮🇪🥇Ireland's @smyth_jason storms to a fourth consecutive T13 100m @Paralympics gold! #Tokyo2020 #C4Paralympics pic.twitter.com/nsYAJuBcPg
— C4 Paralympics (@C4Paralympics) August 29, 2021
Smyth, who had won gold in the event at the previous three Games, conceded afterwards that Athmani had run him close.
"In the heats he looked smoother than me," the 34-year-old told Paralympics Ireland.
"I was not the favourite tonight so yes, to be in my fourth Paralympic Games, in my 17th season and still unbeaten, I don't even know what to say.
Smyth leads Algeria's Skander Djamil Athmani in the Men's 100m T13 final (Image: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile via Getty Images)"All I know is it's getting harder and harder to maintain but that's the challenge of sport.
"You've got to constantly bring your game."
Smyth was fastest out of the blocks but Athmani, who was quickest in qualifying, closed in as they neared the finish line.
However a photo finish ensured Smyth's Paralympics gold streak goes on. and he return to a guard of honour at the Paralympic Village.
🐐 returns to the Village! #TeamIreland | #TheNextLevel pic.twitter.com/jhvaGk7U2K
— Paralympics Ireland (@ParalympicsIRE) August 29, 2021
As well as a fourth consecutive gold in the 100m T13, Smyth also won gold in the 200m T13 in Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012.
The latter event was dropped from Rio 2016 and was also absent from the programme in Tokyo.
On Saturday, Katie George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal Won silver in the Women's B 3,000m Individual Pursuit, while Ellen Keane secured gold in the Women's SB8 100m Breaststroke on Thursday.
See More: Jason Smyth, Paralympics, Tokyo 2020
