Shot putter keeps her cool in sweltering Delhi to land medal

ANNA Nicholson says staying calm in the New Delhi cauldron catapulted her to a memorable World Championship medal.

- By WILL JENNINGS

The Houghton-le-Spring para shot put star, 30, followed up last summer’s Paris Paralympic bronze with the same colour medal on the world stage.

Nicholson threw a brilliant PB as an effort of 9.58m propelled her onto the F35 podium ahead of Czech athlete Anna Luxova.

The North East star employs multiple techniques to remain relaxed on the big stage, including playing ‘I Spy’ between throws with her coach.

And she reckons those tactics paid off after an ice-cool show in the sweltering 60,000-seater Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

“I?m over the moon - I'm so happy,” she said. “To win my first medal at the Paralympics was a dream come true, but to back that up at the World Championships is just fantastic.