Gold's Galore for GB at Paralympic WC

Great Britain cyclist Darren Kenny has vowed to take the Beijing paralympics by storm after grabbing two gold medals at the Paralympic World Cup in Manchester.

The 38-year-old – who won two gold medals at the Paralympic Games in Athens – also set two world best times but was prevented from having them ratified as world records because anti-doping officials were not in attendance at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester.

"It is a little bit frustrating that the times won’t stand but Beijing is what it is all about and I want to do well out there,” said Kenny, who clocked 1.09.89 minutes in the kilo final and 3.39.39 minutes in the 3k pursuit.

“The times are great. I set the pursuit record three years ago but just haven’t been able to break it.

“I’ve been able to break the kilo quite consistently which has been really pleasing as well.

“I think I only had about ten minutes between both races so the performance was quite good.

“It was one of the toughest racing days I think I’ve ever had. You don’t usually have the kilo and the pursuit on the same day never mind in the space of ten minutes.”

Kenny’s double gold were just two of an impressive 11 picked up by Team GB on Day One.
Rik Waddon took the second place in the kilo behind Kenny after setting a new personal best time of 1.11.28 minutes.

There was more success for Team GB as Glasgow’s Aileen McGlynn clocked a new world best time of 1.09.56 minutes in the tandem with pilot Ellen Hunter while former swimmer Jody Cundy cruised to the LC2 class men’s kilo title with Mark Bristow in third.

Earlier, Anthony Kappes had smashed a new world best time to take gold in the men’s tandem final with former Team GB able-bodied star Jon Norfolk.

Norfolk and Kappes on their way to Gold

Three-time paralympic judo champion Simon Jackson – who only took up the sport less than three weeks ago – scooped silver.

The 35-year-old said: “I’m not even in my third week of cycling yet so it is absolutely fantastic.

“I’ve got a new lease of life now. I got a back injury about a year and a half ago which forced me to give up judo. But I still wanted to compete.”

Great Britain track star Anthony Kappes smashed the world record on his way to gold at the Paralympic World Cup in Manchester.

The 35-year-old clocked a sensational 1.02.008 minutes in the 1km tandem final with pilot Jon Norfolk.

He said: “I’m pleased but I really wanted to go under 62 seconds. If we could have done that, I think we really could have sent a message to people that we mean business.

“This is the only international competition between now and Beijing. People have called it a dress rehearsal and I think that’s what it is. “To come here and compete is great preparation for China.

Three-time Paralympic Judo gold medallist Simon Jackson – who only took up the sport three weeks ago – scooped silver behind Kappes in the tandem in 1.04.982 minutes.

Jody Cundy dominating the Kilo

And the 35-year-old says he is ready to add to his impressive medal haul out in Beijing in the summer.

“I’m not even in my third week of cycling yet so it is absolutely fantastic,” he said.

“I’ve got a new lease of life now. I got a back injury about a year and a half ago which forced me to give up judo. But I still wanted to compete.”
Elsewhere, fellow Brit Darren Kenny outlined his Beijing Paralympic credentials with a new world best time of 3.39.394 minutes to qualify for the 3km pursuit final.

Bronze for Sarah Storey in the 500m TT

Former swimming champion Sarah Storey scooped bronze in the 500m time trial final, clocking 39.297 seconds behind Chinese duo Feng Zhen and Ju Fang.