Dame Sarah Storey Claims 16th Paralympic Gold As She Equals Team GB Record

"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."
Gold medalist Sarah Storey of Team Great Britain poses on the podium at the medal ceremony for the Cycling Road Women's C5 Time Trial
Gold medalist Sarah Storey of Team Great Britain poses on the podium at the medal ceremony for the Cycling Road Women's C5 Time Trial
Toru Hanai via Getty Images

Dame Sarah Storey has equalled Team GB’s Paralympic gold medals record by claiming the 16th of her career.

The cyclist stormed to victory in the women’s C5 time trial at the Tokyo Games on Tuesday within a time of 36:08.90.

Fellow GB rider Crystal Lane-Wright also took home silver in Tuesday’s event, with a time of 37:40.89.

Sarah’s Paralympic gold total now matches the achievement of former swimmer Mike Kenny, who took home 16 during his career.

🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇@DameSarahStorey now has an astonishing 16 Paralympic gold medals - our joint highest with swimmer Mike Kenny.

Icon.#ImpossibleToIgnore #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/Nkhbkyf4qN

— ParalympicsGB (@ParalympicsGB) August 31, 2021

While she must wait until Thursday’s C4-5 road race for a chance to fully surpass 76-year-old Mike when it comes to golds, she already has more overall medals with a total haul of 27 to his 18.

Speaking after her win, Sarah said: “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.

“The closer we have got to Tokyo, the more it has been like: This is a possibility. It really could happen. You just don’t know.

“I am just so chuffed. I have been preparing for this for such a long time. It is such a sweet feeling. Sweet 16!! Can I be 16 again?!”.

NEVER ANY DOUBT 🥇

Following C5 time trial victory, @DameSarahStorey equals Mike Kenny as GB's most successful Paralympian!

A true great and now a 16-time Paralympic gold medallist 👊#Tokyo2020 #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/35D3qAdXnM

— C4 Paralympics (@C4Paralympics) August 31, 2021

"I still have things in the tank, I still feel pretty smooth."

There's more to come from @DameSarahStorey 💪#Tokyo2020 #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/GuZvwcU4lt

— C4 Paralympics (@C4Paralympics) August 31, 2021

The last of Mike’s 16 titles and two silvers came in Seoul in 1988, four years before Sarah kicked off her own Paralympic career as a 14-year-old swimmer in Barcelona.

She won five golds in the pool across four Games before a seamless transition to the bike ahead of Beijing 2008, which has brought even greater rewards.

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