Sarah Storey Wins Gold, Criticizes Short Course

Dame Sarah Storey secured her 18th Paralympic gold medal in the women's C5 time trial at the Paris Games but expressed significant disappointment over the event's reduced distance of 14.1 kilometers, which is half that of the men's race. Storey, who completed the course in 20:22.15, criticized the organizers for not addressing athletes' concerns prior to the Games and argued that the shortened course undermines the visibility of para-sport. She emphasized the need for gender parity in racing distances, lamenting that this represents a setback after progress made in women's cycling. Storey highlighted that the race length should be a minimum of 22 kilometers, as seen in previous Paralympic events. Her teammate, Fran Brown, also expressed a desire for a longer course, reinforcing the sentiment among female athletes. The decision to shorten the women's event was attributed to a busy schedule with 19 races planned for the day.