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Greta Streimikyte knocked a second off her own European record yet was still just outside the medals in a thrilling T13 1500m final at a packed Stade de France. 

The UCD AC star threw down the gauntlet to the field in the first lap and was second when they went through the first 400m in 70:35 seconds. 

She had to use her tactical nous to extract herself off the kerb when the race packed at the front and she was lying sixth after 1200m. 

But Streimikyte moved into fifth place at the bell, and then one last kick saw her overtake Tunisia’s Paralympic record-holder Somaya Bousaid with 250m to go, to take a brilliant fourth place. 

It was the second time the 28-year-old finished fourth in a Paralympic final (also in Rio 2016) but it was the first time Ireland’s three-time Paralympian ever beat the Tunisian superstar. 

Her time of 4:32.28 was a second faster than the European record (4:33.27) she set at World Championships in Paris last year. 

“My plan was, similar to the Worlds in Paris last year, to take on the first lap to make sure it was not going to be too slow because that wouldn’t be beneficial for me,” she explained afterwards.  

“But the girl that led the race, she was brilliant and was actually taking it on too. The rest of the field kept coming so I just had to remain focussed and just make sure I just had that bit for the last lap. I just tried to remain as strong as I could so I could finish the last lap as fast as possible. 

“This season wasn’t the best I would have wanted so I am happy that I was able to pull something out of the bag,” she added. 

“Obviously running a season’s best means I gave everything I could this evening. Fourth place is always a bit painful for me because it feels like I am just stuck in that fourth or fifth place but hopefully not for too long more.” 

The race was won, in 4:22.39, by Ethiopia’s reigning champion Tigist Gezahagn, who just held off Morocco’s two-time world champion Fatima Ezzahra El Idrissi (4:22.98) with America’s Liza Corso taking bronze in 4:23.45. 

Earlier today Galway’s Shauna Bocquet looked right at home with the world’s best racers when she finished eighth in the fastest T54 5000m race in history.

The 20-year-old from Craughwell AC exactly matched her pre-race ranking and, while her time (11:50:85) was short of her personal best (11:07), that was due to her terrific cat-and-mouse tussle throughout with Germany’s Merle Marie Manje, who only overtook her in the final 100m 

Switzerland’s Catherine Debrunner won gold in 10:43:62, knocking nine seconds off the Paralympic record previously held by American runner-up and 2020 champion Susannah Scaroni (10:45.18), with Australia’s Madison de Rozario taking bronze in 11:10.20. 

Bocquet was not in the least intimidated by the race’s ‘false start’ or the din in a packed Stade de France but knew right from the start just how blistering the pace would be. 

“That was a lot faster than yesterday’s heat, I suspected it would go out hard and it really kicked off there at the start but I’m really happy with how the race went,” she said. 

“I managed to hang on to the back of another girl and we were together for most of it. It was good, we got to work together, we took a couple of laps each.

“The stadium is incredible. The atmosphere was amazing. There was a lot of noise every time we came around and that really helps you. It gives you that edge you mightn’t think you would have. To be here at the Paralympic Games is amazing and to be in a final is just incredible.” 

A top 10 in the 5000m is just the start of her hectic racing schedule in Paris. 

“I have a rest tomorrow, them the 1500m heats on Monday and I am doing the 100m as well,” she confirmed. “I much prefer the longer distances so we’ll wait to see the start-list for the 1500m tomorrow and decide tactics then.”