Dame Sarah Storey wins GB's first Gold at Tokyo Paralympics

The North West's Dame Sarah Storey has won Great Britain’s first gold medal of Tokyo 2020 at the Paralympic Games.

Storey, who lives in Disley in Cheshire, won the 3000 metre individual pursuit, after beating compatriot Crystal Lane-Wright.

The 43-year-old has now got 15 gold medals just one behind Mike Kenny's British record of 16 golds.

Dame Sarah, who was born without a fully functioning left hand, started her career as a swimmer at Barcelona in 1992 and competed at four Games, winning 15 Paralympic medals, including five golds, before switching to cycling in 2005.

Since then she has been almost unbeatable both on the track and the road.

“For me as an individual, I’ve won a medal at every single Games I’ve been to and this is my fourth time winning the individual pursuit in a row,” she told Channel 4.

“I broke the world record in Beijing, in London, in Rio, this morning, so for me it’s been quite overwhelming to try and keep backing that up and keep pushing on the pedals to go faster and faster."

Her husband was watching the exciting moment at home in Cheshire with their children.

The relentless defending champion laid down a marker earlier on day one of Tokyo 2020 by shaving more than four seconds of her own world record in qualifying, powering over the line in 3:27.057

She did not need to repeat the trick in the deciding race at the Izu Velodrome as she remarkably caught Lane-Wright inside eight laps following a rapid start, leaving her rival to settle for another silver.

In winning her country's first gold of the Games, Storey has now won a phenomenal 26 medals overall.

She will have a chance to surpass Mike Kenny next week when she attempts to defend her C5 time trial and C4-5 road race crowns.