Taking up cycling and being on top of the world is wonderful.
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After the event, the swimmer-turned-cyclist spoke to Sports Mole about her performance, the unprecedented level of competition in the sport and the achievements of her gold-medal winning teammate Cox.
“I can’t sum it up, I can’t believe it, I’m so happy. I have only been doing it a year and a half and being on top of the world is fantastic”.
Talented sprinter Cox had ambitions of making the Olympic team in Rio, only to suffer stroke symptoms two years ago, which was quickly followed with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.
“To date I think it’s been a cultural problem – much like we’ve seen traditionally in swimming, which is dominated by white athletes”.
Dame Sarah Storey was also competing in the cycling, and came just outside the medals in fourth place.
Her time of 17.43 seconds resulted in the 24-year-old from Halifax setting a new Paralympic record.
You looked amazed when Kadeena crossed the line in a world-record time. “I’m just in shock, I’m Paralympic, world and European champion and perhaps I’ll have my first beer in two years now”.
Another golden day for ParalympicsGB began in the velodrome with Sophie Thornhill and her pilot Helen Scott winning the B one-kilometre time-trial, while Jody Cundy added a cathartic win in the C4/C5 event, four years after his explosive reaction to being denied at London 2012.
25-year-old Cox, who has multiple sclerosis, won the 500 metre time trial in a world record 34.598 seconds, nearly 1.5 seconds ahead of second placed Zhou Jufang of China.
Cockroft said: “The 100m is my favourite event – I have never been beaten over it and didn’t expect to be beaten over it”.
“But I knew when the classification got changed it was going to be the point where I worked my hardest”. Kare Adenegan, who is 15 and from Coventry, took silver.
Great Britain have now secured 35 medals in Rio with Sabrina Fortune, Alice Tai, Toby Gold and Andy Small all driving up that number on Saturday.
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The 19-year-old from Chester threw a personal best of 12.94 metres as Ewa Durska of Poland won with a world record of 13.94m.
