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Columba Blango (Paralympian)

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Columba Blango
Personal information
Born (1992-07-06) 6 July 1992 (age 32)
East Dulwich, London, England
Alma materUniversity of Greenwich
Sport
SportSprinting
Disability classT20
Event(s)200m, 400m
Achievements and titles
Paralympic finals2020
Regional finals2021
Medal record
Representing  Great Britain
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2021 Bydgoszcz 400 metres T20
Paralympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Tokyo 400 metres T20

Columba Blango (born 6 July 1992) is a British parasports runner, who came third at the 400 metres T20 event at the 2020 Summer Paralympics. He won the 400 metres T20 event at the 2021 World Para Athletics European Championships, and the 200 metres T20 event at the 2021 British Grand Prix.

Personal life

Blango is from East Dulwich, London.[1] His father of the same name competed for Sierra Leone in decathlon at the 1980 Summer Olympics, and was later Mayor of Southwark.[2][3] As a youngster, Blango developed blood clots on his brain.[2] Blango studied tourism at the University of Greenwich, and as of 2021, he works in Primark.[2] Blango is a Christian, and attends a Mustard Seed International church in Nunhead, London.[4]

Career

Blango competes in T20 classification events.[2] He won the 200 metres T20 event at the 2021 British Grand Prix Diamond League meeting in Gateshead in a time of 23.19 seconds.[5] At the 2021 World Para Athletics European Championships, Blango won the 400 metres T20 event in a European record time of 47.90 seconds.[6] He had also broken the European record in the heats of the event by setting a time of 48.54 seconds.[7]

In July 2021, Blango was selected for the 400 metres T20 event at the 2020 Summer Paralympics;[8] it was his first Paralympic Games appearance.[1] He finished third in the competition in a personal best time of 47.81 seconds.[2][3] He was 0.1 seconds behind second-placed finisher Luis Felipe Rodriguez Bolivar,[1] and his time was better than his father's time in the 400 metres event of the 1980 decathlon.[2] As a result of his Paralympic medal, UK Athletics gave Blango funding for the first time in October 2021. He received the highest amount of funding available on their scheme.[9] In 2022, Blango won the T20 400m event at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix event in Dubai.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c "COLUMBA BLANGO: EAST DULWICH MAN GETS BRONZE IN PARALYMPICS". Southwark News. 31 August 2021. Archived from the original on 31 August 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "From Primark to the podium: Columba Blango wins Paralympic bronze". The Guardian. 31 August 2021. Archived from the original on 31 August 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Columba Blango betters Olympian father to secure impressive bronze". The Times. 31 August 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  4. ^ "COLUMBA BLANGO: PARALYMPIC MEDALLIST STAYS 'HUMBLE' AS HE PREPARES FOR LIFE AFTER TOKYO". Southwark News. 6 September 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  5. ^ "Outstanding Asher-Smith takes 100m glory in Gateshead". Athletics Weekly. 24 May 2021. Archived from the original on 24 May 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  6. ^ "European Para Athletics Championships: Great Britain's Columba Blango wins gold". BBC Sport. 1 June 2021. Archived from the original on 4 June 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  7. ^ "COLUMBA BLANGO: EAST DULWICH MAN BREAKS EUROPEAN ATHLETICS RECORD". Southwark News. 2 June 2021. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  8. ^ "Hat-Trick Seeking Jonnie Peacock Among 32 Athletes Added To GB Paralympic Squad". The Sportsman. 22 July 2021. Archived from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  9. ^ "Paralympians Owen Miller and Columba Blango get British Athletics funding boost". BBC Sport. 19 October 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  10. ^ "Mason secures sprint success at World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai". Inside the Games. 23 March 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
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