The first full day of competition at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games saw four track cycling gold medals up for grabs. Australia and the Netherlands celebrated memorable performances, as did British para-cyclist Sarah Storey, who first made a name for herself back in Barcelona 1992…
Forty-three-year-old Dame Sarah Storey is Great Britain’s most decorated Paralympian and one of the greatest Paralympians of all time. Tokyo is her eighth Paralympic Games. In the previous seven she’d won four track cycling gold medals – more than any female track cyclist – plus five gold medals each in both road cycling and swimming. In Tokyo, she is competing on both the track and road: her aim was to win her third consecutive Paralympic title in the C5 3000m individual pursuit.
It is commonly acknowledged that success brings its own pressure. But not for Storey it seems, as the Brit tore around the Izu Velodrome in a staggering 3:27.057 – a new world record. Storey’s powerful limbs and the humid Tokyo air saw the experienced athlete clock an incredible average speed of 52.160km/hr. It meant a pass to the final where she’d face compatriot Crystal Lane-Wright, who won C5 3000m individual pursuit silver at the Rio 2016 Paralympics and who finished second in qualifying. The 36-year-old would have her work cut out for her in the final, though, her 3:35.061 over eight seconds down on Storey.
France’s Marie Patouillet and New Zealand’s Nicole Murray finished qualifying third and fourth, respectively, meaning they’d face off in the bronze medal race. Patouillet, 33, whose preparation was interrupted by her busy work schedule as a doctor during the Covid-19 pandemic, rode to bronze in 3:39.233. Murray crossed the finish line 5.249secs later in 3:44.482.
It was then over to Storey and Lane-Wright in a final that highlighted Storey’s utter dominance: she lapped Lane-Wright more than 1000m from the finish for her 15th Paralympic gold medal, just one short of swimmer Mike Kenny’s record for a British Paralympian.
So a record-breaking start to the Games for Storey and a record-breaking start to the Games for the track para-cyclists with eight records broken on the opening day, starting in the opening event – the women’s C1-2-3 3000m individual pursuit. China’s Qian Wangwei started things off in qualifying with a time of 4:31.476 in the C1 category followed soon after by fellow Chinese Wang Xiaomei (3:55.781) in the C3 category and Sini Zeng (4:06.23) in the C2 category.
A great morning for the Chinese but one soon eclipsed by Australian Paige Greco who reclaimed her C3 world record in qualifying thanks to a time of 3:52.283. Greco would do battle with Xiaomei in the final but only after Germany’s Denise Schindler beat America’s Clara Brown to bronze.
On paper, the final looked like a close affair, but on the Izu track, there was only ever one winner as Greco set an incredible pace from the off to set another new world record in 3:50.815. Xiaomei rode valiantly to win silver 4.160secs further back.
Day one of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic track cycling competitions delivered double delight for the Australian team soon after thanks to 41-year-old Emily Petricola. Competing at her first Paralympic Games, she showed no signs of debutant nerves as she set a new world record in C4 3000m individual pursuit qualifying (3:38.061). That performance ensured she’d enjoy clear pre-race favourite billing as her fellow finalist, Shawn Morelli, qualified over eight seconds down.
In the bronze race, Canada’s Keely Shaw edged out Australia’s Meg Lemon for bronze, winning by just 1.630secs. The spotlight then shone on the two finalists… but shone brighter on Petricola, who carried over her qualifying form to the final, lapping Morelli for the win.
The final opening-day gold medals were awarded in the men’s Tandem 4000m individual pursuit. Great Britain’s Steve Bate and his pilot Adam Duggleby were looking to retain the title they’d won in Rio and qualified for the final after an impressive 4:02.497. But not as impressive as the Dutch men’s duo of Tristan Bangma and pilot Patrick Bos, who made the final thanks to a new world record of 3:59.470 courtesy of an average speed of over 60km/hr.
Their record-breaking exploits left them fresh rather than fatigued and, come the final, they lapped the Brits for the Netherlands’ first cycling gold medal of the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. Earlier, Poland’s Marcin Polak and pilot Michal Ladosz won bronze, holding off the French team of Alexandre Lloveras and pilot Corentin Ermenault by just 0.276secs.
Tomorrow a further five gold medals will be awarded at the Izu Velodrome, starting with the women’s B1000m time trial.
C – Cyclist: conventional bike with some minor adaptations
T – Tricycle: three-wheeled bike
B – Blind: tandem
H – Handbike
Each group is divided into different sport classes depending on the severity of the handicap