Neil and Lora Fachie led a stunning morning for Great Britain to kick off day four of the Tokyo Paralympics as the husband and wife cyclists each claimed Paralympic gold in world-record fashion.
Scottish rider Neil and pilot Matt Rotherham finished just ahead of compatriot James Ball in the men’s B 1000m time trial, taking top spot with a time of 58.038 seconds.
Liverpool-born Lora then followed in her husband’s footsteps as she and partner Corrine Hall defeated Ireland’s Katie-George Dunlevy in the final of the women’s B 3000m individual pursuit in a time of three minutes 19.560secs.
That was not the end for Great Britain’s gold rush at the Izu Velodrome as Kadeena Cox, Jaco Van Gass and Jody Cundy eclipsed China to win the mixed C1-5 team sprint.
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT It’s a stunning, stunning victory in the mixed C1-5 team sprint Take a bow, @kad_c, @jacovangass and @jodycundy New World Record and a GOLD 🥇#ImpossibleToIgnore #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/eWETo2mt4p — ParalympicsGB (@ParalympicsGB) August 28, 2021
In addition to the trio of GB golds and silver for Ball, there was also a bronze for Sophie Unwin, who clinched third place behind Lora Fachie and Dunlevy in a time of three minutes 23.446secs.
Great Britain secured their first two athletics gold of the Games inside half an hour, with Thomas Young and Sophie Hahn securing sprint titles.
🥇 Title defended 🥇 Amazing, @SophieHahnT38 #ImpossibleToIgnore #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/UfCoAUopK7 — ParalympicsGB (@ParalympicsGB) August 28, 2021
Young ran under 11 seconds for the first time in his career as he won the men’s T38 100m with a European record of 10.94 seconds.
Hahn, has not lost in seven years, and won the women’s T38 100m title by just six hundredths of a second.
In the pool, Maisie Summers-Newton secured her second gold of the Games as she won the SB6 100m breaststroke.
The British teenager had already won gold in the SM6 200m individual medley and beat world record holder Liu Daomin to set a new Paralympic best, with Ellie Simmonds finishing fourth.
It’s GOLD for @maisiee26 🥇 Wonderful swim. What a moment#ImpossibleToIgnore #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/qPlJbRcXJ4 — ParalympicsGB (@ParalympicsGB) August 28, 2021
There was also a gold won in the S14 mixed 4x100m freestyle relay for Reece Dunn, Bethany Firth, Jessica-Jane Applegate and Jordan Catchpole.
Grace Harvey secured a silver medal in the SB5 women’s 100m breaststroke.
Elsewhere, table tennis players Paul Karabardak and Jack Hunter-Spivey and powerlifter Micky Yule each won bronze.
Dimitri Coutya won his third wheelchair fending bronze of the Tokyo 2020 games, after narrowly missing a chance for gold in the men’s foil individual category B event.
Great Britain reached the wheelchair rugby final with a 55-49 victory over hosts Japan.
Picture of the day
Social media moment
Two #Gold medals.Two World Records.Two #Paralympics legends.@loraturnham and @neilfachie, the ultimate power couple 😍 #Tokyo2020 #ParaCycling @UCI_paracycling @BritishCycling pic.twitter.com/9yJdIxb89s
— Paralympic Games (@Paralympics) August 28, 2021
The sheer emotion of Neil and Lora Fachie celebrating their incredible achievement.
Figure of the day
What’s coming up on day five?
Will Bayley will be contesting his class 7 gold medal match in table tennis.
Hannah Cockroft will be gunning for gold in the T34 women’s 100m final on Sunday morning, alongside fellow Britons, Kare Adenegan and Fabienne Andre.
Shortly afterwards, Lauren Rowles and Luarence Whitely will be in the PR2 mixed double sculls rowing final.
Hannah Russell features in the first heat of the S13 50m freestyle in the pool and, there are Brits competing in the PTS5 triathlon races – George Peasgood in the men’s and Claire Cashmore and Lauren Steadman in the women’s.
