Aussie clinches Paris gold after ‘really rough’ year

PARIS: Australian track cyclist Amanda Reid continued her domination of the women’s C1-3 500m time trial at the Paralympic Games on Saturday, clinching gold in the two-lap dash on the velodrome.
The 28-year-old from the Blue Mountains, who has cerebral palsy, scorched through the time trial in a finish time of 38.811 seconds and a “factored” time — classification is taken into account to calculate that — of 36.676.
Setting off as the last of six riders after topping qualification, she successfully defended the gold medal she won at Tokyo 2020 in the C1-3 500m time trial event, in which she owns both the world and Paralympic records.
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Australia now has four Paris Games gold medals following the triumph of swimmer Thomas Gallagher as well as the victories of track cyclists Korey Boddington, Emily Petricola and Reid.
“It’s an unreal feeling,” Reid told Nine trackside.
“The last 12-plus months have been really rough for me, so to go back-to-back is just absolutely amazing.
“I try not to think about the race too much and just go for it when I ride. [I tell myself], ‘It’s two laps, go as fast as you can’.”
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Australian track cyclist Amanda Reid won Paralympic gold in Paris. Getty Images
Reid’s Tokyo and Paris gold medals in the C1-3 time trial were preceded by a silver in the event at the Rio 2016 Games.
The talented athlete swam competitively before becoming an elite cyclist.
She competed in the pool on her Paralympic debut at London 2012, finishing fifth in the 100m breaststroke SB14.
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