Applied Sciences student does the double in Dubai
University sprint star Maria Lyle has scored a double success at the World Para Athletics Championships.
The 19-year-old, from Dunbar, followed up a gold in the T35 100 metres in Dubai with a second one in the 200 metres.
Maria is on the Dual Career Athlete programme and studying for a BSc Sports Coaching in the School of Applied Sciences.
She said: “The main focus of 2019 was to get to the World Championships, not about medals, so to do that and get two gold medals is the icing on the cake.”
Maria added in a Tweet: “World Champion!! Can’t believe the amount of support I’ve had these past few days Thank you everyone for your kind words.”
She finished in 14.62 seconds to leave her rivals trailing and pick up her first medal of the championships. The longer race saw her again power home ahead of the field, in a time of 30.33 seconds.
The former Dunbar Grammar pupil was competing in her third World Championships, and had previously won a gold in the 4 x 100m team event in Doha in 2015.
Maria, who also won two bronze medals and a silver in the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio, said: “It gives me confidence going into the Paralympic year.”
Maria, who has cerebral palsy, began running after joining Dunbar Running Club at the age of nine.
The photo, by Bobby Gavin/scottishathletics, is from her silver medal triumph at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.