You did it Mummy! Golden Sarah’s a record breaker
WITH a spectacular display of the grace, power and speed that has defined her glittering career, Dame Sarah Storey became Britain’s greatest female Paralympian in Rio de Janeiro last night.
The 38-year-old cyclist won her 12th gold medal with victory in the C5 3,000m individual pursuit – before finding her three-year- old daughter Louisa in the crowd.
In the final she beat fellow Briton Crystal Lane, who had to settle for silver.
The victory took Dame Sarah, who was born without a functioning left hand, past Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson’s haul of 11 Paralympic golds.
Her total of Paralympic medals rose to 23 last night – 12 gold, eight silver and three bronze.
After the race, Dame Sarah told BBC Radio 5 Live: ‘I’ve not thought about being the most decorated Paralympian until two days ago, beating Tanni, but Tanni’s still a hero for me. To go quicker
‘It won’t sink in for a very long time’
than London after having my daughter Louisa is the icing on the cake. You can never underestimate anyone on the other side of the track. It’s amazing and I don’t think it will sink for a very long time.’
Her husband Barney, a tandem pilot who has won three Paralympic golds, was also in the Velodrome to witness the latest lap of glory.
Baroness Grey-Thompson, who is working in Rio with BBC Radio Five Live, gave Dame Sarah a hug after her win, saying: ‘I am very proud of her. I love the way she trains and races.’
And Paralympic cycling gold medal winner Mark Colbourne added: ‘That has to go down as one of the best performances in Paralympic history.
‘I knew that she had it in the bag and it was just a question of how quickly she could catch Crystal, who you have to give credit to for her silver medal.
‘It was phenomenal from Sarah, though.’ The silver medallist, who was chosen to compete less than two weeks ago, said afterwards: ‘I thought I would be watching her in the final so it has been amazing.’
Britain’s record- breaker Dame Sarah, from Disley in Cheshire, began her career as a 14-year-old swimmer in Barcelona in 1992.
After five swimming golds, she switched to cycling in 2005 because of a persistent ear infection caused by water. She became the first disabled cyclist to compete for England at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
Britain’s gold medal total hit four last night with wins in cycling and swimming. Steve Bate and Adam Duggleby won the men’s B 4,000m individual cycling pursuit.
And just minutes later, Ollie Hynd, from Mansfield, took gold in the pool in the S8 400m freestyle – breaking his brother Sam’s Paralympic record from Beijing in 2008.