Lauren Parker has develop into Australia’s first dual-sport Paralympic medallist in 44 years, claiming silver within the ladies’s H1-3 particular person time trial so as to add to her para triathlon gold in Paris.
After ending first within the para triathlon on Monday, Parker was dealing with a lofty job to match a feat final achieved by Eric Russell, who gained a gold (shot put) and two bronzes (discus and pentathlon) in 1980.
However Parker was undaunted by the historical past dealing with her within the Parisian satellite tv for pc city of Clichy-sous-Bois, and will effectively have completed first with a gold to her title.
The 35-year-old crossed the end line on her hand cycle simply 9.50 seconds behind American Katerina Brim.
“If solely I had the additional 9 seconds in me,” Parker mentioned after her efficiency.
“I could not have accomplished something extra, I put all of it on the market on the race course.
“I can not imagine that I have been ready to do this, it has been a purpose of mine to do each sports activities since Tokyo … I am very proud of that.”
Parker’s silver got here on a profitable day for Australia, as para cyclists clinched a complete of 5 medals within the particular person time trial occasions.
Alistair Donohoe was second within the males’s C5 race, successful his third consecutive Paralympic medal within the self-discipline.
Meg Lemon grabbed silver within the ladies’s C4 race, with fellow Australian Emily Petricola, who claimed a velodrome gold medal earlier within the Video games, having to accept fourth.
Alana Forster (ladies’s C5) and Darren Hicks (males’s C2) gained bronze of their respective classifications.
Cyclists weaved their approach by way of a 14.2-kilometre course within the close by forest, looping round by way of the commune’s primary strip and concluding with a pointy climb to complete at a municipal sports activities floor.
The unglamorous backdrop was in sharp distinction to the picturesque views of the Olympic time trial or the triathlon the place Parker gained gold, nevertheless it suited Lemon completely.
“My coaches simply advised me to complete on the finish of the forest earlier than the final downhill and uphill, after which they knew that I might climb,” Lemon mentioned.
“No matter I had left, I used to be simply going to fly up the hill if I might.
“Em [Petricola] got here as much as me and advised me I used to be second and I believed I used to be dreaming. It is fairly outstanding.”
AAP