(UPDATES to correct headline typo)
Talking to herself helped Russia’s Paralympic sprinter Margarita Goncharova claim gold in the women's 100 meters, she told R-Sport on Sunday.
Goncharova, competing in the F37/38 category, which is for the athletes who suffer from uncontrollable muscular spasms, claimed sprint gold to add to a long jump gold she won Friday.
She clocked 13.45 seconds, a personal best.
"I set myself up for the start very well," Goncharova said. "Just when there were ten meters left, I felt that I could still press on and do it. I still had some power left. I was running and talking to myself, saying, 'Come on, come on, Ritulya, just a little bit left.'"
"Afterwards I was wondering: how is it possible that I'm running and talking? They say it's OK, but it's the first time this has happened to me."
Goncharova never expected to win the two Paralympic gold medals, she added.
The athlete is to vie for two more medals, in women's 4x100 meters relay on Tuesday and 200 meters run on Thursday.
Goncharova, 21, has cerebral palsy. She won two bronze medals at the 2008 Beijing Games, in 100 and 200 meters run.
Russia has eight golds, nine silver and five bronze and sits in fifth in the medal table, behind leaders China, Australia and Britain.
