Doddington’s Paralympian Jonnie Peacock cruises into London 2012 100m final with heat victory

PARALYMPIC poster boy Jonnie Peacock won his T44 100m heat last night to reach the final as the fastest qualifier at London 2012.

The 19-year-old, from Doddington, powered ahead of American Jerome Singleton and Brazilian Alan Fonteles Oliveira, who had shocked South African legend Oscar Pistorius in the 200m.

The single leg amputee clocked 11.08secs into a strong headwind - equalling the Paralympic record.

Peacock will line up against his rival Pistorius, who won the second heat, in tonight’s final, which takes place shortly after 9pm.

The teenager, who smashed the world record by running 10.85secs in June, promised to “come back stronger” after last night’s heat.

He told reporters in the Olympic Stadium that he could have run a better race and said his finish “wasn’t as controlled” as he would have liked.