TAUNTON based runner Hannah Taunton has won a bronze medal in the T20 1500m race at the Paralympics.

Hannah ran a personal best time of 4:35.34 for the event in what were challenging, wet conditions in Tokyo.

The race was shown live on Channel 4 at 2:30am UK time.

Poland’s Barbara Bieganowska-Zajac won the event in a time of 4:27.84, this is her third gold in successive games for this event.

Second place went to Liudmyla Danylina from Ukraine, who was five seconds off the pace.

Hannah did herself proud as well as her friends and family back in Taunton.

She previously told the Gazette that she was “excited and nervous, but very proud to be representing GB at the Tokyo Paralympics.”

Somerset County Gazette:

As well as her bronze medal, Hannah broke a Para World Record for 5000 metres on the track in Manchester in 2020.

A regular at Longrun Meadow parkrun and also many of the local road races over the years competing for Taunton Athletics Club, she credits a lot of her success to the running community in Taunton.

"I would like to thank Taunton Athletics Club and my coach Charlotte, Running Forever Running Club, Longrun Meadow Parkrun and other local parkruns for their support, said Hannah.

Well done Hannah!