Paralympic News

UCI Para-Cycling Track World Championships – Day 3

 

Britain scooped three golds and two silvers on the final day of the Para-Cycling Track World Championships in Italy, taking the total medal tally from the competition to 18 and ranking first in the medal standings.

 

The first gold medal of the day came from Sarah Storey in the Women’s C5 500mTT who produced a very strong ride of 37.733 to defend her World Champion title from 2009. Storey’s biggest opponent Ju Fang Zhou of China, who was absent from the last world championships, came second.

 

There was plenty of drama in the Men’s Tandem Sprint with a Battle of the Brits in the final. Anthony, piloted by Barney, won the first of the three races as Craig and Neil left too big a gap between the Paralympic Champions. The second round went to Fachie and Maclean, meaning a decider was needed. It was a close affair with the crews nearly colliding before Craig and Neil stormed ahead to win gold. With both tandems having to ride a total of eight rounds, it came down to a war of attrition in the latter stages.

 

Lora Turnham and pilot Fiona Duncan posted the fastest Tandem Pursuit time in qualification and were pitted against much tipped New Zeland pairing of Jane Parson and Sonia Waddell. The Kiwi pairing proved to be too strong for the developing GB tandem in the final, winning in a time of 1:11.926. Aileen McGlynn, piloted by Helen Scott, finished 8th.

 

The final medal won by the GB Para-Cycling Team was gold in the Team Sprint retaining the title won in 2009 with a new line-up of Darren Kenny, Tel Byrne and Jody Cundy. Having set a new WR in qualification, the team then lowered the mark again to 49.540 in a thrilling final against Paralympic silver medallists China. The race ranked Darren Kenny Britain’s top performer of the competition, with three golds and Jody Cundy not far behind with two golds and one silver.

The team also broke five world records, two British records and set numerous PBs.

Lead Coach Chris Furber said: “Performances from this weekend are a massive boost for the team, gaining us vital qualification points towards places in London. The standard of the competition has really moved on since Beijing and being in a medal mix now means we are well placed for medal prospects in 2012.”

 

Medal Tally

Gold

Men’s C3 Individual Pursuit – Darren Kenny
Men’s Tandem Kilo – Neil Fachie, piloted by Craig Maclean
Men’s C3 Kilo – Darren Kenny
Men’s C4 Kilo – Jody Cundy
Men’s C5 Kilo – Jon-Allan Butterworth
Women’s C5 Individual Pursuit – Sarah Storey
Men’s B Sprint – Fachie, piloted by Maclean
Women’s C5 500mTT – Sarah Storey
Mixed Team Sprint – Byrne, Cundy, Kenny

 

Silver

Men’s C3 Individual Pursuit – Shaun McKeown
Men’s C4 Individual Pursuit – Jody Cundy
Women’s Tandem Kilo – Aileen McGlynn, piloted by Helen Scott
Men’s Tandem Kilo – Anthony Kappes, piloted by Barney Storey
Men’s C3 Kilo – Rik Waddon
Men’s C4 Kilo – Tel Byrne
Men’s B Sprint – Kappes, piloted by Storey
Women’s B 3km Pursuit – Lora Turnham, piloted by Fiona Duncan

 

Bronze

Men’s C3 Individual Pursuit – Rik Waddon

 

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