Joy for Glasgow cyclist
AGLASGOW cyclist today won Scotland’s first medal at the London Paralympic Games.
Former Evening Time Sportswoman Of The Year Aileen McGlynn clinched silver in the women’s blind and visually impaired time-trial.
McGlynn, 39, from Crookston and sighted pilot Helen Scott had to settle for silver at velodrome as Australia won gold. They missed out on gold by just half a second.
McGlynn and Scott clocked 1min 09.469 seco n d s, b u t Au s t r a l i a ’s Felicity Johnson and Stephanie Morton, who were last on the track, stole victory by 0.550secs in a Paralympic record of 1min 08.919secs.
It was the first time McGlynn has tasted Paralympic defeat in the event after the 39-year-old from Glasgow won gold in Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008 with Ellen Hunter as pilot.
New Zealand’s Phillipa Gray and Laura Thompson claimed bronze in 1:11.245, with Britain’s Lora Turnham and Fiona Duncan fourth in 1:11.479.
Today’s achievemnet came after world-beaters Sarah Storey and Jonathan Fox had led the gold medal charge for Paralympics GB on a dramatic first day of the Games.
Cyclist Storey powered through her event by smashing her own world record in the heats before storming to victory in front of a frenzied crowd in the Velodrome.
Fox, who also set a new world record in his qualifier, won Great Britain’s first swimming gold at the Aquatics Centre.
The pair were the standout performers on a successful first day of action, which also saw British athletes win three silvers and two bronze medals.
Storey’s victory
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