ROPE attached, blocks lined up to the precise millimetre apart, absolute synchronicity is everything for Libby Clegg and Mikail Huggins. “If she comes out before me, we lose 100ths of a second,” the latter reveals. “We need to be out at the same time. Subconsciously we’re in tune so that when she fires, I fire.”

Blind sprinter, guide runner, inseparable ambition. After jointly collecting Paralympic silver at London 2012 in the T12 100 metres, the duo have trained their immediate ambitions on landing gold at the IPC world championships in Doha where their quest commences today over 200m. Despite the Scotswoman’s top billing, theirs is a cast of equals, her partner insists.

“Whatever the result, it’s our result,” Huggins declares. “Deep down, we might beat ourselves up in our head. But we take a win together and a loss. And if it’s a loss, we’re both minded to look at it and see where we can improve before we come back into the next training session.”

Now 31, his tandem with Clegg has taken the Midlands native to destinations beyond his wildest hopes. He had dreams once of being a solo performer, a sprinter of some promise in the mould of his stepfather Lincoln Asquith. Over 100 metres, he speedily lowered his personal best of 10.90 seconds. Short of top class but within tantalising reach and with time on his side.

“But I was a bit hot-headed,” he reflects. “I didn’t take it as seriously as I should have.” Taking over from Asquith as Clegg’s pilot and partner was a second chance, to ensure the raw talent was not entirely frittered away. “The more I got into it and reflected on it, it made me think ‘if only I’d done this for myself, where would I have been?’

“But the satisfaction I get from this is second to none. I no longer have any regrets because my athletics experience from back then has brought me to where I am now and I draw on that experience to help Libby. I’ve killed two birds with one stone.”

Clegg, despite her pedigree, is no sure thing in the desert. Cuba’s Omara Duran has taken the event to new heights this year. With injuries disrupting their preparations the Britons will have to come from behind.

“It’s been an up-and-down season,” Huggins reflects. “But we made the team and that shows they believe we can perform. Everyone is after the gold. But we want to be in there and know we’re in the mix for it.”

Meanwhile, Maria Lyle cruised into today’s T35m final with the 15-year-old from East Lothian surviving a false start to finish second in her heat in 30.32 seconds.

But the European champion faces a scrap with Australian rival Isis Holt, 14, who was denied a world record of 28.55 due to an illegal wind speed of +2.4.

Elsewhere, Paul Blake took silver for GB&NI in the T36 400m final.