Two British athletes took gold medals as the Paralympics got off to a glittering start yesterday. Cyclist Sarah Storey, born without a functioning left hand, stormed to victory in the 3km C5 individual pursuit. On an inspiring day of record-breaking performances, Fox's achievement made him the first British Olympic or Paralympic athlete to win gold in the pool.
And while Team GB failed to win a single medal on the opening day of the Olympics, Paralympics GB took seven, with three silvers and two bronze as well as the two golds.
Later, the Paralympic team's spectacular start was sealed when Fox made a splash in the pool. The 21-year-old, who won silver four years ago in Beijing and had broken the world record in the semi-final heats, said the medal was his life's dream. Elsewhere, cyclist Mark Colbourne, 42, collected silver in the men's individual 1km Time Trial just three years after suffering appalling injuries when he plummeted 40ft to the ground in a paragliding accident. In the pool, 16-year-old Hannah Russell, who has achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism, won silver in the women's S12 400m freestyle. Her achievement was matched by Nyree Kindred, 31, in the S6 100 backstroke, as her 15 month-old daughter Ella watched – and there was a special cheer from the crowd when she picked up the little girl after the race.
Once again the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were among the biggest cheerleaders, with visits to see the British team in the goalball in the Copper Box and then to the Velodrome where they witnessed Storey smash the world record.
Kate and William both dressed casually, earlier, they had made a brief visit to watch the GB men's goalball team play Lithuania at the Copper Box, where Kate arrived wearing a blue Paralympics GB sweat top. Her outfit was completed by a pair of navy jeans.
The pair looked fresh-faced despite a late night at the spectacular opening ceremony. Viewing figures released by Channel 4 showed the ceremony drew a peak audience of 11.2million – the broadcaster's biggest in a decade, and four times that of the opening in Beijing four years ago.
Craig Spence, the International Paralympic Committee's director of media and communications, hailed the fantastic ceremony a success.
He said: “It gave a reflection of all impairment groups and I think it showed how far the Paralympic movement has come”.
- Tags: Paralympics London victories remarkable British_athletes gold_medals Cyclist Sarah Storey 3km C5 individual pursuit Fox's_achievement first_British_Olympic Paralympic_athlete pool Team_GB Paralympics_GB seven three_silvers two_bronze two_golds 21-year-old Beijing semi-final heats life's_dream Mark Colbourne 42 1km Time Trial 40ft paragliding 16-year-old Hannah Russell achondroplasia dwarfism S12 400m freestyle Nyree Kindred 31 S6 100 backstroke 15_month-old daughter Ella Duke Duchess Cambridge cheerleaders British team goalball Copper_Box Velodrome Kate William Lithuania opening_ceremony Channel_4 11.2million Craig Spence International_Paralympic_Committee's_director media communications
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