Mikey Brannigan Wins 1500m Gold!
In a slow-paced Paralympic final in Rio, Mikey Brannigan controlled the race from start to finish and won Paralympic T20 1500m gold with a dominant last 500 meters. Brannigan stayed posted comfortably at the front through the first three laps, leading through 66, 2:09, and 3:10 at 400, 800, and 1200. The 19-year-old New Yorker made a move to string out the field with 600 meters to go, but he really started hammering right before the bell, and he covered his last lap in 55 seconds to drop the rest of the field by four seconds. Brannigan won in 3:51.73, and Poland's Daniel Pek was second in 3:56.17.
This is Brannigan's third major outdoor medal and second gold after winning gold in the 1500m and silver in the 5000m at the Paralympic world championships last year.
The T20 classification is for athletes with intellectual disabilities. Brannigan has autism, and holds the 1500m T20 world record in 3:48.85. Earlier this summer, Brannigan ran a 3:57.85 mile at the Sir Walter Miler. Watch that race here:
The T20 classification is for athletes with intellectual disabilities. Brannigan has autism, and holds the 1500m T20 world record in 3:48.85. Earlier this summer, Brannigan ran a 3:57.85 mile at the Sir Walter Miler. Watch that race here: