Paralympics: Storey claims GB’s first gold
Sarah Storey wins ParaGB’s first gold of the 2012 Games with an emphatic victory over Poland’s Anna Harkowska in the C5 cycling individual pursuit.
Storey dominated the race, catching her opponent before getting to 1,500m in the 3,000m race. In the individual team pursuit if you catch your opponent the race is over.
Her win follows ParaGB’s first medal of the competition, also in the cycling, with Mark Colbourne claiming silver in the C1-C2-C3 1km time-trial.
Into the hi-Storey books
Storey set her stall out in the qualifying round earlier today, breaking the world record for the C5 individual pursuit and qualifying for the final in the fastest time, more than 12 seconds ahead of her nearest competitor.
Storey was cycling in the C5 classification. The classification for cyclists with the minimum physical impairments. This can include a single amputation or minimal neurological disfunction. Storey was born without her left hand.
She started her Paralympic career in swimming, in which she won five gold medals, eight silver medals and three bronze medals. Her first Games was in 1992 and she competed in swimming up until Sydney in 2004.
After suffering from an ear infection which kept her out of swimming, Storey started cycling to keep her fitness up. She found she was very good at it and for the Beijing Games in 2008 she switched sports – winning two gold medals.
Gold and silver 1st day on the track, plenty more to come, but over to the other sports for the rest of the day!
— Jody Cundy MBE (@jodycundy) August 30, 2012
Strong debut
Racing in the bronze medal race Crystal Lane was up against Australian Fiona Southorn for the bronze medal. She was not able to win the bronze medal, but showed a strong debut for a cyclist who was a late call-up to the squad.
