On a day full of excitement and hope, Britain’s women paracyclists rose to the occasion, winning a gold, two silvers, and a bronze in the time trials held in the Parisian suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois.
Leading the charge, as expected, was the legendary Dame Sarah Storey, who claimed her 18th Paralympic gold in the C5 classification. Her achievement set the tone for the day, followed by a bronze for Lora Fachie and two silvers from Fran Brown and Sophie Unwin. Unwin, alongside her pilot Jenny Holl, pushed herself to the limit after their earlier track gold in the same week.
Sarah Storey stood on the podium, celebrating her monumental 18th Paralympic gold at Paris 2024.
Unwin’s journey is particularly inspiring. She only began competitive cycling during the pandemic but quickly made the British team for the Tokyo Paralympics, where she won two medals. Now, with one of each color in Paris 2024, she credits her success in the time trials to learning how to dig deep and push beyond her limits.
Reflecting on her experience, Sophie Unwin recalled how much she’s grown since the Tokyo Paralympics. “Back then, I didn’t know how to pace myself or push through the pain in a time trial,” she said after completing the grueling 28km race, which left her feeling nauseous. “Now, I definitely do. I’m not even sure how I manage it, but a lot of it comes from not wanting to let Jenny [her pilot] down. My job is to give everything I’ve got, right up until I physically can’t anymore.”
Jenny Holl, Unwin’s pilot, echoed that sentiment, saying, “Watching Sophie after a time trial is something else. She pushes herself to a level I’ve never seen anyone reach. I can’t do it, but she can—it’s a real testament to her grit.”
In the women’s B time trial, Ireland’s Katie-George Dunleavy took the gold, while Unwin was followed closely by fellow Brit Lora Fachie and her pilot, Corrine Hall, who claimed their second bronze of the Games. Despite the physical toll of competing in different events, Fachie embraced the challenge with a smile, calling the road her “happy place.”
“We couldn’t have given anything more today. We left everything out there,” Lora Fachie said after the race. “Honestly, I love switching to road racing. The track feels like a pressure cooker—so intense and stressful. I do it, but I find it tough. On the road, though, I feel relaxed and happy. It’s where I’m in my happy place.”
Dame Sarah Storey was equally pleased with her performance, as well as the overall showing from British female Paralympians. “I’m over the moon with how things went, but there’s always room to improve, both for myself and for those coming up after me,” she said.
Storey also highlighted the increasing presence of women on the ParalympicsGB team. “It’s amazing to see more women on the team than ever before. That’s a big step forward, especially given that globally, there’s still a long way to go when it comes to gender parity in the Games. It’s not from lack of desire, but there are fewer opportunities for women with disabilities to get involved in sports at the grassroots level.”
Clichy-sous-Bois, a less likely host compared to the postcard-perfect venues of other events, became an international stage for the road races. Known for the 2005 riots and entrenched in poverty, for three days it transformed into a sporting venue, with locals lining the streets to watch the races and join in the medal ceremonies held right in the heart of their community.
While Britain’s female cyclists enjoyed regular trips to the podium and the cheers of the crowd, the men’s team struggled to make an impact. The biggest surprise came in the C3 men’s time trial, where Britain had high hopes with three strong contenders—Jaco Van Gass, aiming for his third gold, world silver medallist Finlay Graham, and reigning Paralympic champion Ben Watson. But instead of a medal sweep, they finished eighth, sixth, and fourth, respectively. Watson narrowly missed bronze by less than 2 seconds and was 54 seconds behind the gold medalist, France’s Thomas Peyroton-Dartet.
Watson was visibly disappointed. “I couldn’t have pushed any harder,” he said. “I gave it everything and was in bits at the end. I’m gutted—just one and a half seconds off a medal. But that’s sport; sometimes you’re beaten by better riders on the day. I went out aiming to win and started strong, but I faded a bit on the second lap, and the French rider seemed to find another gear. I just didn’t have the legs today. Now it’s on to the road race on Saturday.”
