Sarah Storey makes history with 17th Paralympic gold

On Sep 2, 2021

Sarah Storey has made history as Great Britain’s most successful Paralympian of all time after winning the C4-5 road race on Day 9 at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. The 43-year-old battled heavy rain for much of the 66km race to cross the line first and into the record books at the Fuji International Speedway.

It was her 17th Paralympic gold medal, the most any British athlete has ever won before, and broke swimmer Mike Kenny’s record of 16. Storey, who has also amassed a staggering 37 world titles in cycling and swimming, punched the air with delight as the recognition of her monumental achievement sunk in.

And it was well earned. She had fought throughout the race to claim the historic victory at what was her eighth Paralympic Games. Germany’s two-time world champion Kerstin Brachtendorf had lead for much of the way.

The 49-year-old was more than a minute ahead of Storey going into the final laps before the British athlete made her move and finished in 2:21:58, just ahead of compatriot Crystal Lane-Wright, 35, who took the silver in 2:21:58 and France’s Marie Patouillet in bronze. Brachtendorf came fifth.

The podium line-up was replicated in the men’s C4-5 road race when Great Britain’s Benjamin Watson, 32, who was making his Paralympic debut, finished in 2:04:23 to claim gold with compatriot Finlay Graham crossing the line in 2:05:43 to get silver and France’s Alexandre Leaute took the bronze.