The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Fachies live dream as both win record gold
Neil Fachie described Paralympic glory for him and wife Lora as “surreal”. The Aberdonian and pilot Matt Rotherham triumphed in the Tandem B 1km time trial and minutes later Lora and pilot Corrine Hall claimed gold in the women’s B individual pursuit.
Both winning gold is something the Fachies had dreamed about for a long time.
Reflecting on the success Neil, 37, said: “It’s a day we’ve spoken about for a long time. We knew we were both competing in quick succession and in events we both had a good chance in.
“We both hoped we might win gold, but I don’t think we anticipated both breaking world records and winning gold.
“When I was warming up Lora and Corrine broke the world record in the qualifying for the pursuit.
“Then we broke the world record to win gold and then Lora and Corrine won the pursuit gold.
“I’d just picked myself up off the floor following our race. I was full of lactic gases and my body wasn’t in a great place and to see Lora and Corinne win was magic.
“After that we got shepherded away to our medal ceremony so I didn’t see her until about half-anhour afterwards. But to come together and give each other a hug and say ‘we did it’ was just surreal.”
For both Neil and Lora this is their second Paralympic gold medal.
Neil set a new world record of 58.038 to defeat British team-mates James Ball and Lewis Stewart (pilot), who won silver in 59.503.
France’s Raphael Beaugillet and Francois Pervis finished third. Fachie’s quest for glory in Japan has been fuelled for five years by the disappointment of only winning silver at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio Janeiro having previously claimed gold at London 2012.
He added: “This is right up there in terms of my greatest success.
“The disappointment in Rio has been a motivation going forward and has been at the back of my mind for five years.
“I wanted to get this title back and I had unfinished business with Paralympics.
“In London when we won my team-mates (Anthony Kappes and Craig MacLean) had a mechanical and there was that element of ‘would they have beaten us?’
“That element of doubt was there and then we didn’t win in Rio, but there’s no disputing this win, nobody came close.
“It means I can look back on my Paralympic career and say I definitely deserved to be a Paralympic champion.”
These are a unique Paralympics having been delayed for a year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Fachie believes the extra year helped he and Rotherham be at their best for the games.
Coronavirus restrictions mean Fachie’s post victory itinerary is different to previous games.
Rather than remaining in Tokyo for the duration of the event he flies back to Manchester today and will have to watch from home as Lora competes in the time trial and road.
He said: “Looking at the time we did we wouldn’t have clocked that time a year ago.
“We changed a lot of things after lockdown and focused in a different way.
“We realised there was a lot more to be gained and we had a plan when we came back into training at the velodrome after months at home.
“The plan worked and we’ve just gone quicker and quicker.
“The first lap was really quick and that was the plan to go out hard and fast. That time is something we wouldn’t have managed to do last year.
“It’s not your standard games, but it’s been incredible. We’ve been kept distanced from the public but the games have been run incredibly well and all the volunteers have been very welcoming.
“It’s been a great games but sadly we can’t go and see Tokyo and I can’t hang around to see Lora race either.
“I arrive back in Manchester on Monday evening and I’ll be able to watch the rest of the games from home.”