Paralympics: Kadeena Cox wins historic gold to add to GB medal haul
Last Updated: 11/09/16 12:34am
Kadeena Cox won a sensational gold in the women's C4/C5 500 metres time-trial on Saturday to become the first Briton in 28 years to win medals in two sports at the same Paralympics.
The 25-year-old from Leeds, who claimed T38 100m bronze on the athletics track on Friday night, emulated Isabel Barr's success from 1988 in Seoul
World champion Cox won gold in the velodrome in a world record of 35.716 seconds.
The event was factored in her favour, so her time was rounded down to 34.598secs, but she was quicker than everyone else regardless.
"I can't believe it, I'm so happy," said Cox said on Channel 4. "I have worked so hard, my legs were tired and I was mentally exhausted from yesterday. I couldn't believe it, I'm over the moon. To be here now is amazing and I'm just so happy.
"I have only been doing it (cycling) a year-and-a-half and being on top of the world is amazing. I just have to thank God.
"I didn't expect this when two years ago I was sat in my hostel bed. I never thought I could do it. You can come back from setbacks and do amazing things."
Cox's win comes little more than two years since she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in May 2014.
Dame Sarah Storey was the defending champion but fully expected Cox - with the factor in her favour - to beat her.
Storey, who on Thursday won her 12th Paralympic title, missed out on a medal as China's Zhou Jufang and Ruan Jianping went quicker before Cox's storming success.
Cox is scheduled to return to the athletics track in the T36-38 4x100m relay and T38 400m, while she is also entered in cycling's road race on the penultimate day of the Games.
Andy Lewis earlier claimed Britain's 13th gold medal and first of day three with victory in the PT2 category as triathlon made its Paralympic debut at Copacabana beach.
And moments prior to Cox's win, wheelchair racer Hannah Cockcroft won her third Paralympic gold medal and first of the Rio Games at the Olympic Stadium.
Cockroft, from Halifax, retained her 100m T34 title in a Paralympic record time of 17.42 seconds.
"The 100m is my favourite event, my strongest. I was pretty dead certain. I'm a little upset with the time," said Cockroft.
"I was going for the world record all season. I was a tenth of a second away from it! But I came for the gold, and I've got the gold - I'm happy."
Kare Adenegan, who is 15 and from Coventry, took silver behind her team-mate.
There was another track and field silver, for Toby Gold in the T33 100m.
