‘It’s hard to put into words’ - Dame Sarah Storey now just one gold away from British Paralympic record

Dame Sarah Storey said its “hard to put into words,” as she took her 15th Paralympic gold medal, putting her just one gold away from the all-time British record at the Games. 

The 43-year-old former swimmer turned cyclist put in a storming performance during the C5 3,000 metre individual pursuit in Tokyo on Wednesday (August 25), beating fellow Brit Crystal Lane-Wright in the gold medal final. 

Storey’s time qualifying time 3-27.057 was a new world record and helped her to the final, where she caught Lane-Wright to win her 15th career gold Paralympic medal, just one gold off the British record held by swimmer Mike Kenny.

Speaking after her victory, Storey said: “It’s quite overwhelming, 

“It’s hard to put into words. I’ve won a medal at every single Games I’ve been to and this is my fourth time in a row winning the individual pursuit. 

“I knew it was in me but I just needed to get the right day and right preparation. It has been an incredibly difficult preparation because it is so different to what I am used to. I just had to call upon all of my experience and know that I was capable of staying calm under that pressure.”

Storey, who was born without a fully functioning left hand, started her Paralympic career at  the 1992 Barcelona Games as 14-year-old swimmer. 

She now has two opportunities to break the British record - the women’s C5 road time trial on Tuesday (August 31), followed by the road race on Thursday, September 2. 

There was more medal success on the track for Team GB, as defending men’s B 4,000 individual pursuit champion Stephen Bate and pilot Adam Duggleby took silver, beaten by the dutch pair Tristan Bangma and Patrick Bos for gold. 

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On Thursday (August 25), Jaco Van Gass smashed the world record and won gold for GB in the C3 3,000m individual pursuit, just ahead of compatriot Finlay Graham. 

Jody Cundy became the first ever British athlete to win a medal at seven Paralympic Games with silver in the men’s C4-5 1,000m time trial, while Aileen McGlynn and Helen Scott took silver in the women’s B 1,000m time trial.