The British rider excelled on the first day of the time-trials, winning the Women’s C5 category in Greenville (South Carolina, USA).
Now holder of 15 World Championship titles, Dame Sarah is the most successful Paralympic athlete in the United Kingdom. On Sunday, she will attempt to add another victory to her record in the road race.
The British rider won the event with a 50-second lead over the Polish rider Anna Harkowska, the American Samantha Heinrich taking third position on the podium.
In the other events of the day, the host country continued collecting medals, winning four gold, one silver and one bronze. Even Italy, another strong para-cycling nation, was not able to keep up, obtaining only three medals.
Managing to retain her title in the Women’s C2 category, Allison Jones explained the American domination with these words: “Defending the title in our own country, there wasn’t a lot of pressure, but there was always the reminder of everyone cheering for you, cheering in English, and your family and friends being there,” said Jones. “I could see the red, white and blue out there on the course, and it was such a positive atmosphere, so it was really awesome to get the win.”
The time-trials are continuing today, Saturday 30 August, on the Millenium Campus in Greenville, before the road races take place on Sunday and Monday. You can follow these events “live” on USParalympics.org.
Para-cycling sport classes
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.