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Gold Medals for GB in World Cup

Story posted June 16;

Great Britain's Paracyclists warmed up for the World Road Championships in Canada by competing in a World Cup event in Segovia where they won eight medals, including six golds, at the World Cup event in Segovia. Beijing Paralympic champions David Stone and Rachel Morris both won two each while Rik Waddon and the tandem pairing of Lora Turnham and Bex Rimmington were also Gold medal winners. The World Cup event was a rare chance for the GB athletes to earn qualification points towards the 2012 London Paralympics.

Stone, who has cerebral palsy, was triumphant in both the road race and the time trial in the Trike category matching his achievement in Beijing two years ago. It was a welcome return to form for the Leeds-based 28-year-old who has struggled with illness and injury over the past year. Meanwhile, Morris, 31, was racing against less disabled rivals in Spain after a reclassification last year.

Rachel Morris

But the double amputee, who has also been hampered by illness, was in superb form with wins in the road race and time trial in the handcycling events as well as a bronze in the relay event with Rob Wickham and Chris Morris. Rik Waddon, a silver medallist on the track in Beijing, claimed his first major international medal on the road with success in the time trial on Sunday. He was also fourth in the road race.

Turnham, who is visually impaired and her sighted pilot Rimmington, have rapidly improved since winning bronze at last year's World Road Championships. They narrowly missed out to a Dutch pairing for gold in the road race but were dominant in the time trial, winning by 40 seconds. "This event has given us some of our best-ever results on the road" says GB Paracycling Performance Manager Gareth Sheppard. "There were some fantastic performances from our riders and some surprise medals. To win four golds in Sunday's time trial races was beyond our expectations. It sets the team up well for the World Championships in Canada."

Lora Turnham and Bex Rimmington