Rio Paralympics 2016: Jonnie Peacock defends T44 100m title in style to claim SEVENTH gold of day two for Great Britain

JONNIE PEACOCK successfully defended his T44 100m Paralympic title with a blistering performance in Rio.

The world’s fastest man on one leg stormed home in a time of 10.81 seconds – equalling the Games record he set in Thursday’s heat.

Peacock’s win secured Great Britain’s seventh gold medal of an extraordinary second day in Brazil.

Georgie Hermitage, Sophie Hahn and Libby Clegg had all earlier claimed victory in their respective 100m finals.

Cyclists Sophie Thornhill, with pilot Helen Scott, and Jody Cundy earlier won gold medals in the velodrome, while fifteen-year old Ellie Robinson won gold in the pool.

Peacock, 23, was not the favourite to retain the title he won at London 2012, having struggled with injury for the past 18 months.

But he finished 0.21secs ahead of New Zealand’s Liam Malone, with main rival American Jarryd Wallace trailing in fifth.

Peacock told Channel 4: “I just got to 40 metres then I kept pushing and that’s when I pulled away.

“I wasn’t the favourite in that race but my experience came through.”