Team East Lothian's Maria Lyle heads out to Doha for IPC World Championships
Heading out to Doha this week for the IPC World Championships in athletics, Team East Lothian’s Maria Lyle will look to continue her flying form on the track. The Dunbar teenager and double European Champion heads into her first World Championships with a series of personal bests behind her.
The IPC World Championships will take place in the Qatari capital Doha, with the first events kicking off on Thursday 22 October and Lyle will be in action over the T35 100m (29 October) and 200m (23 & 24 October).
Lyle has had an outstanding 2015 season setting a number of personal bests, clearly evident from her technical progression. Working with her Manchester based coach, Tabo Huntley her mum Susan has been leading her sessions in East Lothian at the Athletics Arena at Meadowmill.
Since gaining qualification for the British team last month, Lyle has found another gear in her championship preparations, smashing her personal bests at the Newham Open in London. Breaking the 14-second barrier for the first time, Lyle ran 13.90 in the 100m then 29.24 in the 200m – both with legal wind speeds.
Unquestionably Lyle will head into the IPC World Championships in the form of her life and although her Newham PBs represent unofficial world records, Lyle will face stiff competition from her Australian rival. Fellow teenage rival, Isis Holt took Lyle’s world records at the 2015 IPC Athletics Grand Prix in Brisbane, Australia and the pair will line up for the first time in Doha.
Lyle’s recent form will give the Dunbar teenager the edge on the track, and she should take confidence from her recent personal bests and the stiff competition could push the pair to further their own world record breaking efforts in the final.
[photo credit British Athletics/ Getty Images]
