Track Cycling

Cox leads strong start for Britain at UCI Para Track Cycling World Championships – Insidethegames.biz

Reigning Paralympic champion Kadeena Cox won gold for Great Britain in the women's C4 500m time trial ©Getty Images

Great Britain’s Kadeena Cox showed her class yet again to win gold in the women’s C4 500 metres time trial at the International Cycling Union Para Track World Championships in Apeldoorn in The Netherlands.

The 28-year-old, who is the world record holder and reigning Paralympic champion in the event, won her second cycling world title in a time of 36.176sec, beating China’s Jianping Ruan and New Zealand’s Katherine Horan at the Omnisport Apeldoorn.

They came home more than two seconds behind, in 38.436 and 39.846 respectively.

Cox’s victory formed just part of what was a successful day for Britain, as 41-year-old Dame Sarah Storey, already a 13-time Para-track world champion, claimed a silver in the C5 500m time trial.

Setting a time of 38.111, the sporting icon was only beaten by home favourite Caroline Groot, who defended her title.

She sealed gold comfortably in 36.464, while Marie Patouillet of France came third in a time of 38.739.

On an afternoon of time trial action, medals were also decided in the men’s C4 and C5 one kilometre disciplines.

In the C5 race, Britain gained another silver, as the 2018 bronze medallist Blaine Hunt went one better.

He finished second this time out in 1min 6.406sec, and was beaten only by Spain’s Alfonso Cabello Llamas, the defending champion, who triumphed by beating his own world record.

Jody Cundy gained Great Britain's second gold of the day in the men's C4 one kilometre time trial ©Getty Images
Jody Cundy gained Great Britain’s second gold of the day in the men’s C4 one kilometre time trial ©Getty Images

Dominating the field, the 2012 Paralympic champion won by almost two seconds in a time of 1:04.414 to gain his second successive world title.

His previous world record had stood at 1:04.494. 

Having gained two silvers in the last two races, Britain then grabbed their second gold of the day when current world record holder Jody Cundy won the men’s C4 one kilometre time trial.

He set a time of 1:05.422 to take gold, around a second slower than his world record mark.

Slovakia’s Jozef Metelka came second in 1:06.477, in front of Justin Widhalm from the United States, who ended up third with a time of 1:07.822.

Later in the evening the first individual pursuit finals went ahead, with China, Australia and Spain all claiming golds.

For Australia both Darren Hicks and Paige Greco took wins in the men’s C2 and women’s C3 events respectively.

For Spain Ricardo Ten claimed gold in the men’s C1 individual pursuit and Sini Zeng won for China in the women’s C2 event.

Tomorrow on day two, the schedule once again predominantly features time trial and pursuit action.