Jessica Lewis, the wheelchair sprinter, has become the first Bermudian to win a medal at the IPC Athletics World Championships.

Lewis continued her spectacular season with another day of medal glory after claiming bronze in the T53 100 metres final in Doha, Qatar, on Saturday.

Competing against the best wheelchair sprinters in the world, Lewis posted a time of 17.40sec in her favourite event, finishing behind winner Lisha Huang, of China, in 16.29, and second-place Hamide Kurt, of Turkey, in 17.10.

Lewis’s time was quicker than the 17.67 she posted at last summer’s Parapan Am Games in Toronto to grab gold with a championship record time.

She described Saturday’s race as a “tough wheel” and admitted she was not sure whether she had done enough to clinch third place when she crossed the line.

“I focused on the finish line and didn’t know I was third until someone congratulated me after the race,” said the 22-year-old.

“I thought I was fourth as I didn’t hear the announcers. It was only when I saw the rotating scoreboard on the infield that I realised I was third — it’s pretty awesome.”

Lewis heaped praise upon her coach Ken Thom, who she first met during a sports expo in 2006 at WindReach Bermuda in Warwick.

“The gold medal in Parapan Am gave me the confidence that I could compete against the best T53 women in the world,” Lewis said.

“I have to thank my coach Ken for everything he does for me on and off the track. I’m very lucky to have him as a coach and ‘thank you’ doesn’t seem like enough.

“We set our goals for the year. We planned the work and we’ve worked the plan.

“We’ve raced our own race as planned and everything else falls into place.

“We don’t race for medals, we race our plan and if we do everything right the medal will come.”

Lewis, who is sponsored by Tokio Millennium Re, missed out on reaching the 400 final yesterday after placing fourth in her heat in 1:04.47.

Last week she came fourth in the 200 final in 31.58. She returns to Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium today for the 800 heats.

About 1,400 athletes from 100 countries are competing in Doha in the final major international event ahead of next year’s Paralympic Games in Rio, a competition Lewis has already qualified for in the 100 and 400.