WEST FIFE Paralympic champion Owen Miller couldn't add to his medal collection at the Para Athletics World Championships - but one of his training partners struck gold.

The 31-year-old was in the field for the men's T20 1500 metres race at the prestigious competition, being held in Paris, which saw his Fife AC team-mate, Ben Sandilands, claim a superb victory.

Dunfermline Press: Ben Sandilands won T20 1500m gold at the Para Athletics World Championships.Ben Sandilands won T20 1500m gold at the Para Athletics World Championships. (Image: David Wardle.)

Owen, who memorably won the T20 1500m two years ago at the delayed Paralympic Games, and Ben, were joined in the race by Victoria Park City of Glasgow's Steven Bryce, with all three members of a training group led by Owen's coach, Steve Doig, based at Pitreavie athletics centre.

Former Woodmill High School pupil Owen was competing at his second Para Athletics World Championship - finished sixth in his first, in Dubai, in 2019 - whilst Ben and Steven were both running in their first.

The trio were Great Britain and Northern Ireland's representatives in the race, for athletes with intellectual impairments, and they each had high hopes going into it.

Prior to leaving for France, in an interview with Press Sport at Pitreavie, Owen said that he was "looking forward to getting myself out there and showing them what I'm made of", whilst Ben, 19, said he was "confident", adding: "I have targets but, if I don't get them, it's not the end of the world. If I do get them, it's good."

At the bell to indicate the final stages of the race, both Owen and Ben were well-placed, but the USA's Michael Brannigan - a world champion in 2015 and 2017 - moved clear and looked on course to record his third success at the Para Athletics World Championships.

However, in the final 250m, Ben produced a superb late run to move from fifth and overtake Brannigan, who also won gold at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, at the bend to win in a new championship record of three minutes and 42.52 seconds.

Brannigan collected silver in 3:53.50, whilst Portugal's Sandro Baessa (3:54.04) took bronze.

Owen, in 3:58.22, placed seventh, whilst Steven (4:03.80) was 13th.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Ben said: "I came in thinking I could win a medal and I did.

"It feels amazing.

"There was a lot of bumping and pushing, which made it hard to keep my rhythm - but I always knew I had that speed at the end of the race.

"A lot of hard work has gone into getting here and we all encourage each other and push each other on, but I am exhausted now."