Gold medal 'part of grief journey' for Shaw

England sprinter Zac Shaw says winning Commonwealth Games gold in the T12 100m is “part of the grief journey” following the death of his mother last summer.

Shaw’s mum, Evette, died “nearly a year ago to the day” as the 30-year-old clinched his first individual international gold medal in Glasgow in a time of 10.89 seconds.

His was one of two athletics medals for Team England on Thursday, as shot putter Scott Lincoln took bronze.

“Ever since [his mum’s death] happened, in the back of my head my journey of grief has been centred around this,” Shaw told BBC Sport.

“This has been the one thing that’s got me through it.”

Shaw displayed the message “Gold for you Mum”, written on the underside of his bib, as he celebrated his victory over silver medallist Masala Makutu of South Africa and Canada’s George Quarcoo, who took bronze.

“I want my mum’s legacy to live on,” said Shaw, who balances his career as a sprinter alongside modelling and being a personal trainer.

“I don’t want anyone to ever forget her name.

“Four years ago she was here to watch me win a silver. This year she’s not, and I wanted her to be here somewhere.”

Shaw developed Stargardt syndrome, which affects his central vision, at the age of nine and was inspired to start competing after watching the London 2012 Paralympics.

Twelve years later, he won Paralympic silver in the mixed 4x100m relay and bronze in the T12 100m in Paris.

“A year ago there was no way I thought I would be able to compete,” Shaw said.

“It’s been my target to be a champion. I am so lucky, I have been to a Paralympics and won medals but I have never been a champion.

“I genuinely never thought I’d make a GB team. I never in my wildest dreams dreamed I’d run under 12 seconds, let alone under 11 seconds race-in, race-out. It doesn’t even resonate.”

Scott Lincoln has competed for Team GB at two Olympic games [Getty Images]

Elsewhere at Scotstoun, Lincoln came up just short in his attempt to improve on the Commonwealth bronze medal he won in the shot put in Birmingham four years ago.

The 33-year-old had to settle for third place for the second successive Games with his throw of 20.99m putting him behind New Zealand’s defending champion Tom Walsh (21.03m) and gold medallist Chukwuebuka Enekwechi of Nigeria (21.07m) in the standings.

“I’m pretty happy,” he told BBC Sport.

“So close to the silver, so close to the gold, it was centimetres, but that’s elite sport and everything that goes with it.”