Wheelchair sprinter Cockroft calling for backing after striking double gold

The Halifax 18-year-old reached the top of the podium for the first time at Christchurch's Queen Elizabeth II Park on day one on Saturday, winning T34 200m gold by nearly 10 seconds.

And even though the margin in the 100m equivalent was less than four, it was just as comfortable as Cockroft set a new championship wheelchair record of 18.98secs.

Cockroft – who holds the world record for the 100m and 200m as well as the 800m – was expected to succeed in New Zealand and having done so wants a reward.

"It was my target to go out and win gold again and I may even get podium funding now, we will have to see what happens," said Cockroft, who benefited from an Aviva-funded preparation camp prior to arriving in the Garden City of Christchurch.

"I prefer the 200m but they both mean the same to me if I am totally honest and to win gold in both is a great achievement.

"I knew from the 200m race on Saturday that the American girl had a strong start and I watched her a bit in the warm up before the 100m to see it again.

"She got off quicker than me and I thought she might beat me but once I got moving I was fine even if the wind was in my face the whole time."

With the World Championships representing the last major event before the London 2012 Paralympics, Cockroft will begin concentrating on peaking in 18 months' time.

Aviva has been supporting British athletes since 1999. To find out more about Aviva's athletics sponsorship, go to aviva.co.uk/athletics