There are few things as predictable in British sport as Hannah Cockroft crossing the line first. It has happened every time she has raced at a major championships and Friday night was no different, her IPC world 100m crown defended in a blistering 17.18sec.

On the first evening of London 2017, a summer of sport inside the former Olympic stadium, Cockroft lived up to her poster girl billing by taking Britain’s first gold in world record speed.

Afterwards she predicted a further two golds in the T34 400m and 800m later in the week. “I expect myself to win,” she said, after claiming Britain’s first gold. “I try not to put that pressure on myself too much but I know coming in I’m the fastest and fittest I’ve ever been.

“Everything’s going really well, so there’s absolutely no reason why, unless I get really tactically messed up in that 800m, anything should go wrong.”

The 24-year-old’s face adorns the Times Square style video screen wrapping the former Olympic stadium and her distinctive Yorkshire accent has been prominent in radio and TV previews but, if she was feeling the pressure, it did not show.

“Rolling out on to the track, the amount of support you get when people recognise your face, you can’t describe it. It’s amazing,” she said, “I heard a few shouts for the other girls but the vast majority was just my name.

“It does get your heart beating a little bit and it is scary going out there. You don’t want to let those people down.”

The IPC World Para Athletics championships are taking centre stage before the IAAF world championships next month and Cockroft, who won two golds in the same stadium at London 2012, could not resist reflecting on former glories.

“I was so emotional I thought I was going to cry before I started the race. I haven’t felt that much noise and energy for a long time. It was like it was London 2012 again,” she said.

From lane seven she gave a salute to the crowd and never looked like relinquishing the title, finishing well clear of her compatriot, 16-year-old Kare Adenegan, who took silver in 18.01.

“I was inspired by Hannah ever since London 2012 and to come back to this stadium and finish second to her is a dream come true,” said Adenegan.

For those used to seeing the stadium sold out for every session of London 2012, it is difficult not to feel underwhelmed witnessing it just over a third full. But in IPC World Para Athletics Championships terms getting 20,000 through the gate for the opening evening of competition is a significant success and the 280,000 tickets sold over 10 days is more than the last seven editions of this event added together.

Outside, volunteers clad in fluorescent pink polo shirts did their best to recapture the gleeful mood of London 2012. One with a giant pink foam finger stopped a group of children filing into the stadium and demanded each give him a high five.

The build-up has been darkened by the death of Abdullah Hayayei, an athlete from the United Arab Emirates, who had been due to compete in the F34 javelin and shot. Hayayei was “struck by a metal pole” while training at the Newham Leisure Centre, three miles from the Olympic Park, earlier this week. Organisers last night said they were hoping to reopen the facility day.

In his opening ceremony address the IPC president, Sir Philip Craven, paid tribute to Hayayei before a minute’s silence was observed.

The London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, struck a joyful note but took the opportunity to pay tribute to the capital’s emergency services after a particularly miserable few months with the Westminster and London Bridge attacks as well as the Grenfell Tower fire disaster.

“One perfect antidote to this hatred and sorrow is events like this one,” he said, “because it’s a perfect demonstration that London remains open, diverse and united and that we’ll always be a beacon of equality and respect.”