Sixteen minutes, two golds: Couple’s cycle of success in Tokyo
A cycling couple enjoyed a double celebration after they both won gold at the Paralympics in Tokyo yesterday.
Neil Fachie raced to top spot on the podium in a new world record for the B 1000m time trial on the track in Tokyo.
Just 16 minutes later, the Scots velodrome star cheered on his wife Lora as she took gold for Team GB in the B 3,000m pursuit in another world record time.
She cried tears of joy as she embraced her husband after the medal ceremonies at the Izu Velodrome. The couple both have visual impairments and shared their successes with their sighted pilots Matt Rotherham and Corinne Hall.
Aberdeen-born Neil, 37, described their double victory as mind-blowing as at previous Paralympics they have never both won gold.
He said: “There are days that are good in the relationship and there are days like today which we’ll never forget.
“We knew this day would be our big one. It was the same in Rio. Lora got the gold, I got the silver. Back in London, I got gold and Lora missed out.
“So finally we’ve managed to both do it together, and to both break the world record as well is beyond our dreams.”
Lora added: “It was great to see Neil go and do an absolutely cracking time.
“It’s a lot more stressful watching someone you care about racing than actually doing it yourself.”
Lora will compete again this week in two road races while Neil has finished all his events.
Golden couple Neil and Lora Fachie are more than happy to be dubbed the “Kennys of the Paralympics” after each storming to glory on a fairytale day of track cycling at Tokyo 2020.
Scotsman Neil and pilot Matt Rotherham powered home in world-record style in the men’s B 1000m time trial, before Liverpool-born wife Lora and her tandem guide Corrine Hall remarkably matched the feat just minutes later in the women’s B 3000m individual pursuit.
The exceptional quickfire successes on the final day of racing at the Izu Velodrome swiftly drew comparisons with decorated duo Jason and Laura Kenny, who have won 12 Olympic golds combined.
While the Fachies, who are both visually impaired, have each won previous Paralympic titles, they have never come at the same Games, let alone on the same date.
“The Kennys are an incredible family so to be even in the same sentence as them is amazing,” said 37-year-old Neil.
“Lora and I have had mixed success over the years: I won in London, she lost out due to a mechanical; she won gold in Rio and I failed there.
“We thought the moment might not actually happen when we both won gold.
“The fact that she just obliterated the world record, and I have as well – nobody even dreams of this, it’s way beyond anything you can imagine.
“I knew how hard Lora works, she’s been fighting for this, and she deserves every bit of it.”
Victory for Neil – in an unprecedented 58.038 seconds – pushed compatriot James Ball and his pilot Lewis Stewart into silver, securing his fourth Paralympic medal following a gold and silver at London 2012 and another second-placed finish at Rio 2016.
Lora then completed an extraordinary story at a venue located around 90 miles outside the Japanese capital by carving around eight seconds off her previous best to retain the crown she won in Brazil under her maiden name, Turnham.
She and Hall clocked 3:19.560 in a head-to-head final with Ireland’s Crawley-born Katie-george Dunlevy, while Paralympicsgb debutant Sophie Unwin and pilot Jenny Holl won bronze.
In 2017, Neil feared his career may be coming to an end when he lost two world titles,
while Lora put plans to start a family on hold following the
rescheduling of the current Games.
The pair rediscovered their shared passion for sport, riding together during the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s been a tough year for everyone. Some people have retired from sport and both of us thought that it might be it for us after Tokyo,” said Neil.
“We’ve now both got this renewed love for cycling. I don’t know what happens for us going forward now, we have to sit down and have a think.
“It’s been a tough year, but actually for Lora and me, it’s been a great year. It was a chance to reset.
“We did long rides in lockdown and Lora was
absolutely destroying me. I’m a sprinter, I don’t do long rides!
“I was getting up knackered every morning doing three or four-hour rides, I’d get up in the morning and Lora would say: ‘Here we go again!’ But it made me so fit and I really enjoyed it, it was just fun, there was no pressure.
“I can see why she’s a Paralympic champion.”
Success in the C1-5 mixed team sprint rounded of an unforgettable day for Paralympicsgb, leaving them top of the track table with 14 medals, including six golds.
Lora, 32, who also picked up a bronze in Rio, said: “It is special to have done it alongside Neil.
“I’ve never successfully defended a title before so I’m just delighted and it’s been an incredible day.
“For me, it’s been a childhood dream to be a world record holder and I now am.”