Paralympics day four: Husband and wife cyclists lead Great Britain gold rush

Great Britain also claimed gold in the mixed C1-5 team sprint.

Pa Sport Staff
Saturday 28 August 2021 06:58 BST
Neil Fachie from Great Britain and his rider Matthew Rotherham (front) are happy about their victory in the Men’s 1000m Time Trial B – Visually Impaired at the Izu Velodrome (PA Wire via DPA)
Neil Fachie from Great Britain and his rider Matthew Rotherham (front) are happy about their victory in the Men’s 1000m Time Trial B – Visually Impaired at the Izu Velodrome (PA Wire via DPA) (PA Media)

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Neil and Lora Fachie led a stunning morning for Great Britain to kick off day four of the Tokyo Paralympics as the husband and wife cyclists each claimed Paralympic gold in world-record fashion.

Scottish rider Neil and pilot Matt Rotherham finished just ahead of compatriot James Ball in the men’s B 1000m time trial, taking top spot with a time of 58.038 seconds.

Liverpool-born Lora then followed in her husband’s footsteps as she and partner Corrine Hall defeated Ireland’s Katie-George Dunlevy in the final of the women’s B 3000m individual pursuit in a time of 3:19.560.

That was not the end for Great Britain’s gold rush at the Izu Velodrome as Kadeena Cox Jaco Van Gass and Jody Cundy eclipsed China to win the mixed C1-5 team sprint.

They crossed the line in 47.579 secs, just over a tenth of a second ahead of the Chinese team, with Spain taking bronze.

In addition to the trio of GB golds and silver for Ball, there was also a bronze for Sophie Unwin, who clinched third place behind Lora Fachie and Dunlevy in a time of 3:23.446.

Elsewhere, table tennis player Paul Karabardak and powerlifter Micky Yule each won bronze.

Karabardak lost his class six semi-final to American Ian Seidenfeld 3-0 but still collected his first Paralympic medal at the fourth time of asking.

And Afghanistan veteran Yule, who lost his left leg after stepping on an improvised explosive device while serving with the Royal Engineers in 2010, managed 182kg on his final lift in the men’s -72 kg category.

Picture of the day

Social media moment

The sheer emotion of Neil and Lora Fachie celebrating their incredible achievement.

Figure of the day

What’s coming up?

Games veteran David Weir competes in the T54 5000m at 12.24pm UK time. Sophie Hahn, Olivia Breen and Ali Smith run in the T38 100m final at 12.01pm.

In the pool, the mixed 4x100m S14 freestyle rounds off another busy day at 11.47am.

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