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Davies wins sixth consecutive world shot put title

GB's Aled Davies celebrates winning the F63 shot put title at the 2024 World Para Athletics Championships in Japan
Aled Davies (centre) won his first World Para shot put title in Lyon in 2013 [Reuters]

Britain's Aled Davies won his sixth consecutive F63 shot put title on the final day of the World Para Athletics Championships in Japan.

Team-mate Nathan Maguire claimed bronze in the men's T54 800m as the Great Britain and Northern Ireland squad ended with 12 medals in total.

It was a 10th world title of Davies' career and his throw of 15.60m was almost a metre further than Iran's Faisal Sorour who finished second.

"It is crazy to think I have 10 world titles, and six consecutive shot put titles. No one has ever done that in the field," said Welshman Davies, who turned 33 during the championships.

"The main one this year is the Paralympic Games, so this sets me up quite nicely.”

Maguire, 26, improved on fifth and sixth-placed finishes in the 1500m and 400m by claiming his first world medal after a sprint finish in the 800m.

He was just 0.03 seconds ahead of Kuwait's Faisal Alrajehi, with China's Dai Yunqiang and Hu Yang claiming gold and silver.

"It was just a case of holding on for dear life until the end of the race," said the Kirby-based athlete.

“I have been to every single major championship since 2016 and this is the first time I have got on the World Championship podium.

"To do it now gives me a lot of confidence going into the rest of the year, knowing I can race these guys and beat them.”

Britain's tally of seven gold medals, two silvers and three bronzes in Kobe helped them finish fourth in the medal table, with the Paralympic Games in Paris due to begin on 28 August.