Time trial success and a new Paralympic record among other achievements on day seven (Wednesday 4 September 2024).

Never-ending Storey
Dame Sarah Storey (46) claimed her 18th Paralympic title as she powered to gold in the C5 time trial.

Storey ended the time trial 4.69 seconds ahead of Heidi Gaugain of France, with her children Louisa (11) and Charlie (six) – who had been given special permission to miss the first two days of school.

Storey was critical of the organisers’ decision to make the course 14.1km (rather than the same 28.3km as the men’s course), saying: “Having fought so hard for parity in women’s cycling to not have it in para cycling like we did in Glasgow (at the World Championships) last year, is a real disappointment” adding: “I really hope they never do this to women again, because I think it’s been appalling.”

She added: “You race the course that you get, and you prepare for that, and I knew well in advance what it was like. To have friends and family here, to see the flags, to have the cheer off the start ramp, it was just brilliant and I’m so pleased.”

Storey had already made history before she crossed the start line, as the first British Paralympian to feature at nine Games.

T53 triumph
Sammi Kinghorn achieved her first Paralympic title in record time with victory in the women’s T53 100m final, beating Catherine Debrunner of Switzerland, in a time of 15.64 seconds.

“I never thought I’d be Paralympic champion, so to be here as the fastest ever (in the Paralympics) is just mental.”

In an emotional interview, Kinghorn said: “I love training, when I had my accident, my body was torn down to nothing and I rebuilt it. Training was something that helped me accept this ‘new me’.

Something traumatic had just happened to me and I didn’t know if I’d be good at anything ever again.”

Speaking of the gratitude she has for the community that’s supported her, Kinghorn said: “I remember thinking ‘I’m going to do this’. I went home to my parents and said: ‘I just need £10,000 to get this going!’. I’m very lucky to come from an incredible place in the Borders; they supported me and fundraised for me and now I’m Paralympic champion.”

Kinghorn has already won two silver medals in her first two events at Paris 2024, winning ParalympicsGB’s first medal on the track in the 800m and a further, unexpected silver in the 1,500m.

Kinghorn also confessed to “sobbing” all the way round her victory lap.

The flashing blade
Dimitri Coutya had to be at his very best as he beat four-time gold medallist, Yanke Feng, 15-7 to gain his first Paralympic wheelchair fencing title in the men’s foil B tournament.

Respectfully referring to his opponent, Coutya commented: “(Yanke) had perfect distance control, I knew I had to be spot on to set myself up to give myself the right timing to make those hits.”

Cyclists share the podium
Sophie Unwin and sighted pilot Jenny Holl, grabbed silver, and were joined on the podium by compatriots Lora Fachie and pilot Corrine Hall, who won bronze, in the women’s B individual time trial.

Irish duo, Katie-George Dunlevy and pilot Linda Kelly, claimed the gold by a margin of 83 seconds.

Feel the power
Powerlifter, Zoe Newson claimed her first Paralympic silver medal in the women’s 45kg category at the Porte de la Chapelle Arena (having won bronze at London 2012 and Rio 2016).

Newson was forced to wait for confirmation after she successfully challenged the judging on her third lift which was originally declared a no lift.

Looking to the final
Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid have been unstoppable on the clay courts at Roland Garros and duly booked their place in the wheelchair tennis doubles medal final, beating long time Paralympic rivals, Frederic Cattaneo and Stephane Houdet of France.

 

Images: © imagecomms/ParalympicsGB/David Pearce