Stedman Cruises Into Men’s 400m T36 Final

Will Stedman stylishly launched the Kiwi challenge at the 2024 Para Athletics World Championships by easing into the final of the men’s 400m T36 with a controlled display on the opening track event on day two in Kobe.

Stedman, who last year won Para Athletics World silver in this event, comfortably snagged the third and final automatic spot in the opening heat, clocking 55.73 as Fakhr Eddine Thelaidjia of Algeria took out the heat win in an African record of 54.26. Paralympic silver medallist Evgenii Shvetsov, a Neutral Para Athlete took second, 0.33 further back.

On a perfect morning for 400m sprinting inside the Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium, Stedman made an aggressive start and at halfway little could separate the 24-year-old Christchurch-based athlete and Thelaidjia. However, realising he was comfortably in the top three, Stedman appeared to back off in the second half of the race to wisely conserve energy ahead of the final.

Affording the luxury of looking behind down the home stretch, he eased across the line to book his spot in the medal race. He will, however, have noted the impressive run of Thelaidjia, who could be a genuine medal threat in the final.

In the second heat, Japanese athlete Takaru Matsumoto took victory in 55.49 – 0.35 ahead of Australia’s World and Paralympic 400m champion James Turner.

Stedman advanced fourth fastest into the final, which takes place at 2pm (NZT) on Sunday.

The next Kiwi in action in Kobe is Anna Grimaldi, who competes in heat one of the women’s 100m T47 at 8.30pm later today (Saturday).

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