Paralympics 2012: Richard Whitehead wins 200m gold for GB

British sprinter Richard Whitehead blasted through the field in the final 50m to win gold in the T42 200m.

Whitehead, a double above-the-knee amputee, crossed the line in 24.38 seconds to break his own world record.

The USA's Shaquille Vance trailed in 25.55s, with Germany's Heinrich Popow third in 25.90s.

Whitehead, 36, who will also run in the T42 100m, said: "That was a good performance, I've trained hard for that."

"I have an amazing team behind me. Today was about giving back a performance suitable for a GB vest," he added.

Whitehead, who competed for GB in the sledge hockey event at the 2006 Winter Paralympics, is also the marathon world record holder but was denied a chance to compete in London with arm amputees in the T46 class due to International Paralympic Committee (IPC) regulations.

The sprinter failed in his attempt to challenge the rule at the Court of Arbitration for Sport last year, but has hopes of running in the marathon at the 2016 Paralympics.

"I'm a marathon runner that's taken well to the 200m," Whitehead said. "I came, I saw, I conquered.

"I've overcome so many things in my life. The 200m was nothing with the situations I've had growing up. Hopefully the IPC see sport as inclusive rather than exclusive for the Rio 2016 Games."

Britain's Gemma Prescott set a European record of 20.50m to win bronze in the women's F31/32/51 club throw while there were also bronzes for Rob Womack in the F54/55/56 shot and Claire Williams in the F11/12 discus.