Para cyclist Alfonso Cabello Llamas gives Spain their first gold of Tokyo 2020

Alfonso Cabello Llamas gave Spain their first Tokyo 2020 Paralympic gold as four world records fell on the second day of track cycling competition (26 August) at the Izu Velodrome.

The 27-year-old clocked 1:01.557 in the men's 1,000m time trial C4-5, breaking his own world record of 1:01.683 he had set in 2014. Two Paralympic champions completed the podium as Great Britain's Jody Cundy (1:02.529) and Slovakia's Jozef Metelka (1:05.500) ended second and third, respectively.

Cabello Llamas reclaimed the Paralympic title in the event he had won at London 2012 and had lost to Cundy in Rio, in 2016.

"I feel I am way up on a cloud now; I have worked very hard for many months. To be here and win this gold is a dream come true. I have given 100 per cent of my energy and I have shown that barriers are there to be broken," said Cabello Llamas.

Three more world records fell during the day.

France's Alexandre Leaute registered a time of 3:31.478 to win the men's 3,000m individual pursuit C2. He said: “It was incredible and was a great thing. It was the work of the medical team and of everybody, and was my work as well.

"You can never be sure to win this medal because there are a lot of athletes who also want to win it."

Russian Paralympic Committee's Mikhail Astashov set a world record of 3:35.954 in the men's 3,000m individual pursuit C1. 

“I feel really satisfied and very, very happy because I have worked a lot for this medal," said Astashov.

"I didn’t expect this. I’m really happy. I can’t find the words. Today is my day. (But) The competition has not finished yet. I still have some races, so I want to compete for more medals.”

Great Britain broke the fourth world record through Jaco van Gass (3:17.593), who took top honours in the men's 3,000m individual pursuit C3.

The sole female event of the day saw Netherlands' Larissa Klaassen with pilot Imke Brommer setting a Paralympic record of 1:05.291 to win the women's 1,000m time trial B.

"I had never known that I would become Paralympic champion. It was a dream but that it was possible and would happen was never in my mind. Now it's real."