Paralympic Games
24 August - 5 September 2021

British power couple Lora and Neil Fachie each take track cycling gold

Great Britain complete sweep on final day of track cycling competition to finish top of the sport's medal standings 28 Aug 2021
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Lora Fachie -with pilot Corrine Hall- competing in the women's 1,000m time trial B at the Izu Velodrome
Lora Fachie -with pilot Corrine Hall- competing in the women's 1,000m time trial B at the Izu Velodrome
ⒸOIS/Thomas Lovelock
By IPC

Husband and wife Neil and Lora Fachie of Great Britain each secured Paralympic track cycling golds on the final day of competition at the Izu Velodrome (28 August) in Tokyo.

Neil, guided by Matthew Rotherham, won the men's 1,000m time trial B with a time of 58.038sec, breaking his own World record of 59.278sec, set in 2019.

"Five years ago in Rio (2016) we got the silver medal and it was devastating. I felt like it was a race we should have won. But that's given me the drive to keep pushing for five years and team up with Matt (Rotherham)," Neil said. 

"Since we've been together we've won so many big races, we've broken records and to come here and put down the performance we know we are capable of, it's just outrageous. What a day for our team."

Less than an hour later, his wife Lora and her guide Corrine Hall took gold in the women's 3,000m individual pursuit B setting a new World record of 3:19.483 along the way.

"We're delighted to defend our title (from the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games) together today, we've never actually managed to do that. All the world titles we won we've only been able to hold onto for a year. So that's a big confidence boost, and it shows all the work we've put in," Lora said.

On also celebrating her husband's victory, Lora added: "Last night we caught up. We want each other to win but it doesn't change anything if we don't. It was great to see him go and do an absolutely cracking time.

"It's a lot more stressful watching someone you care about racing than actually doing it yourself."

Neil was also ecstatic: "We both said at the beginning of the day, whatever happens let's just enjoy ourselves. We knew this day would be our big one. It was the same in Rio: Lora got the gold, I got the silver. Back in London (2012 Paralympic Games), I got gold and Lora missed out. So finally we've managed to both do it together, and to both break the World record as well is beyond our dreams."