SOB STOREY

Super Sarah fights back tears as she dedicates latest gold to her family

DAME Sarah Storey fought back tears as she revealed how her family inspired her latest rewriting of Paralympic history.

Storey did not cry when she scorched to a world record in her heat or when she climbed the podium for the 15th time in eight appearances at these Games.

But as her comprehensive victory over team-mate Crystal LaneWright in the 3000m pursuit finally sunk in, she allowed thoughts to drift to husband Barney and kids Louisa, eight, and Charlie, four.

It was a rare moment of raw emotion from the normally stoic Storey, who said: “Not having the children here has been so difficult.

“I FaceTimed them the night before the race and it was just really, really hard. They are the biggest motivation for me and I just want to see them. They put up with so much to enable me to do this. I’m an athlete for a few hours but I’m a mum 24/7.

“You want to achieve your dreams and targets but I also want to be the best mum in the world.

“I feel hugely grateful that they have given me this opportunity and it was their decision that I came without them, I gave them a choice.”

Next up for 43-year-old Storey, who obliterated her world record time from 2016 in the heats, is the Time Trial as she looks to equal swimmer Mike Kenny’s all-time British record haul of golds, which she could then overtake with another victory in the road race.

After the gold and silver for Storey and Lane-Wright, visually impaired rider Steve Bate secured GB’s third cycling medal of the day.

But Bate and pilot Adam Duggleby had to settle for silver as flying Dutchman Tristan Bangma snatched his Pursuit title from 2016.