Michael McKillop: Irish athlete wins sixth IPC World title

Michael McKillop won the 800m T38 earlier in the competition

Irish Paralympic star Michael McKillop clinched his sixth IPC Athletics World Championship gold medal after defending his T37 1500m title in Doha.

The 25-year-old from Glengormley, on the outskirts of Belfast, has a mild form of cerebral palsy.

The T38 800m champion stayed on the shoulder of Australia's Brad Scott before making a move with 600m to go.

"That race was controlled and timed to perfection," the three-time Paralympic champion told BBC Sport.

"After the 800m I spoke to my dad and coach Paddy to see what way I would race it because I knew I wasn't fit enough to go from the gun like I usually do, or even at 800m to go.

"So we thought we would try to break Brad's spirits a bit by giving him a bit of confidence and then crash it down again.

"When he was in front he was in control, but as soon as I passed him he couldn't budge and then when I put my foot down I got away from him and that was the plan. That is two finals and two perfect performances.

"Previously I had gone into big races over-thinking things but at these championships, although I was struggling mentally in the 800m, in this race I had beaten everyone in the field, so I knew I could do it. It is nice to go out and perform and show the crowd I am comfortable and enjoying myself."

McKillop's winning time was four minutes 16.20 seconds - well outside his world record of 3:59.54 - but the medals come at the end of what has been an injury-hit season and he will be hoping for a smoother build-up to next year's Rio Paralympics.

"Going into 2016, it is going to be an exciting time and I want to show I am still on top," he added. "Crowds here have been small but hopefully when it comes to Rio, hopefully there will be a carnival atmosphere around it. Brazil have got the buzz off London and hopefully we can go there and get the respect we deserve as elite athletes."

The only Briton in a final on Friday was high jumper Jonathan Broom-Edwards, who ended with silver in the T44 event behind Poland's world and Paralympic champion Maciej Lepiato.

Both men cleared 2.05m and then passed on 2.08 but Broom-Edwards, 27, missed all three attempts at 2.11 while Lepiato cleared it and then set a new world record of 2.18.

"It just didn't happen today and I'm a little disappointed considering the shape I'm in and all the hard work that's gone into the build-up into this competition," Broom-Edwards said afterwards.

"My warm-up was great - I was relaxed and not being able to pass at 2.11m messed me up a little bit, but there's no real excuses.

"I got too tense and that's something I need to work on. It doesn't justify how I jumped today, but I know what I need to do. I've just got to relax at the higher bars and do what I do in training and the warm-up."