Britain's Sarah Storey Wins Her 18th Paralympic Gold
Sarah Storey has further cemented her legacy as Britain's most successful Paralympian by winning her 18th gold medal at the Paris Paralympics.
The 46-year-old cyclist claimed victory in the women's C5 time trial, continuing her unbeaten streak in the event since 2008. Storey finished the course in 20 minutes and 22.15 seconds, edging out French competitor Heidi Gaugain by just over four seconds.
This victory adds to Storey’s impressive collection of 13 cycling gold medals, in addition to the five golds she won in swimming before switching sports. Her total Paralympic medal count now stands at 29, a record that surpasses even that of swimmer Mike Kenny, who previously held the British record with 16 golds.
Paralympic cyclists express frustration over cycle route
Despite her success, Storey expressed frustration with the event, criticising the unusually short 14.1km course, the shortest she’s ever raced in a Paralympics. Storey and other athletes had raised concerns with the organisers about the course length, but they received no response.
"This is the shortest Paralympic time trial we’ve ever had and I think it’s a real shame because you don’t get to showcase parasport in the way that you want to," she said.
The cyclist was particularly disappointed by the disparity in race distances between men's and women's events.
"Having fought so hard for parity in women’s cycling, to not have it is a real disappointment," she noted.
Storey emphasised that while she had to focus on what she could control, she hopes future events won't repeat this oversight.
Storey’s determination remains undiminished. Competing in her ninth Paralympic Games, she aims to add a 19th gold to her tally in the road race on Friday. If successful, she will tie Belarusian swimmer Ihar Boki, who currently holds 21 Paralympic golds, for the most gold medals held by active Paralympians.
In addition to Storey’s gold, the British cycling team saw success from Fran Brown, who claimed silver in the women's C1-3 time trial, while teammates Matthew Robertson and Daphne Schrager both finished fifth in their respective events.
Brown, echoing Storey’s sentiments, remarked, "I would have liked a bit of a longer course as well. We are capable of riding a bit further, but we all did the same course on the day so make the most of it."
