Paralympics day seven: Sarah Storey equals British record with 16th gold medal

Dame Sarah Storey became Great Britain’s equal-most decorated Paralympian by taking a 16th gold medal in the women’s C5 cycling time trial in Tokyo.

Storey matched former swimmer Mike Kenny’s career gold haul in claiming victory on the Fuji International Speedway Circuit in a time of 36:08.90.

The 43-year-old began her Paralympic career as a swimmer in Barcelona in 1992, taking five golds in the pool before switching to the bike ahead of Beijing 2008.

“I never set out on this journey to be Britain’s greatest Paralympian, but to match the best man and to have more other medals is just a dream come true – well, it is almost a dream that was not one,” she said.

“Sweet 16!! Can I be 16 again?”

Fellow GB rider Crystal Lane-Wright snatched silver in 37:40.89.

Storey must wait until Thursday’s C4-5 road race for a chance to fully surpass 76-year-old Kenny, she is now already more successful owing to a total haul of 27 medals to his 18.

“That is something that may happen in the future – it may happen on Thursday,” she said of reaching 17 golds.

“Who knows in a road race?”

Britain’s second gold of the day came when Games debutant Ben Watson won the men’s C3 time trial.

The 32-year-old, competing just over two months after a high-speed crash into a house while competing in Portugal, finished ahead of German duo Steffen Warias and Matthias Schindler.

Reece Dunn grabbed Britain’s third gold of Day Seven at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, and his third of the Games, as he broke the world record in the S14 men’s 200m individual medley. The 25-year-old touched the wall in 2:08.02, shaving 0.14 seconds off the previous global best.

Plymouth Leander member Dunn had already won gold in 200m freestyle and mixed 4x100m freestyle, in addition to 100m butterfly silver.

Bethany Firth gained silver in the SM14 200m individual medley in 2:23.19, with team-mate Louise Fiddes completing the podium, 8.22secs behind.

Stephen Clegg won the men’s S12 100m freestyle bronze in 53.43, while Hannah Russell emulated that achievement in the women’s race in a time of 1:00.25.

At the Olympic Stadium, British runner Columba Blango and long jumper Olivia Breen each won bronze.

Londoner Blango, appearing at his first Paralympics, ran a personal best of 47.81secs, to finish third in the T20 400m.

The 29-year-old crossed the line 0.18secs behind French gold medallist Charles-Antoine Kouakou, with Venezuela’s Luis Felipe Rodriguez Bolivar
clinching silver.

Breen’s best jump in the T38 classification was 4.91m, while her fellow Briton Hetty Bartlett was sixth with a leap of 4.05m.

Earlier Lora Fachie won silver in the women’s B time trial, before dual-sport athlete George Peasgood added C4 time trial bronze to the PTS5 triathlon silver he picked up on Sunday.

Picture of the day

Social media moment

In the foothills of Mount Fuji Dame Sarah Storey won her 16th gold medal, on the same circuit where British Formula One driver James Hunt clinched the 1976 World Championship.

Figure of the day

What’s coming up on Wednesday?

David Smith will be looking to defend his BC1 Boccia title and Matt Skelhorn will be gunning for gold in the R3 10 air rifle prone mixed SH1 event.

In the pool there are medal prospects for Becky Redfern in the SB13 100m and Zara Mulllooly in the S10 400m freestyle.

Sammi Kinghorn goes for gold on the track in the women’s T53100m.