'Sweet sixteen' - Dame Sarah Storey claims 16th gold medal at Tokyo Paralympics

Dame Sarah Storey equalled Great Britain's record for Paralympic gold medals by claiming the 16th of her career with a victory in the women's C5 time trial at Tokyo 2020.

The cyclist from Cheshire emulated the achievement of former swimmer Mike Kenny in a time of 36:08.90 on the Fuji International Speedway circuit.

Fellow GB rider Crystal Lane-Wright snatched silver in 37:40.89, with Germany's Kerstin Brachtendorf taking bronze.

Great Britain's Crystal Lane-Wright, Sarah Storey, and Germany's Kerstin Brachtendorf, bronze on the podium for the Women's C5 Time Tria Credit: PA
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While Storey must wait until Thursday's C4-5 road race for a chance to fully surpass 76-year-old Kenny, she is now already more successful owing to a total haul of 27 medals to his 18.

"I never set out on this journey to be Britain's greatest Paralympian, but to match the best man and to have more other medals is just a dream come true - well, it is almost a dream that was not one," she said.

"The closer we have got to Tokyo, the more it has been like: This is a possibility. It really could happen. You just don't know.

"I am just so chuffed. I have been preparing for this for such a long time. It is such a sweet feeling.

"Sweet 16!! Can I be 16 again?!".

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

The last of Kenny's 16 titles and two silvers came in Seoul in 1988, four years before Storey kicked off her own Paralympic career as a 14-year-old swimmer in Barcelona.

She won five golds in the pool across four Games before a seamless transition to the bike ahead of Beijing 2008, which has brought even greater rewards.

The 43-year-old travelled to the Far East needing three more titles from as many events to stand alone as Britain's most successful Paralympian.

Storey crossed the finish line on Tuesday morning with a punch of the air, securing a time trial title at a fourth successive Games to set up a chance of further enhancing her place in the history books later in the week.

"That is something that may happen in the future - it may happen on Thursday," she said of reaching 17 golds.

"Who knows in a road race?

"There is no foregone conclusion in any race, but especially not in a road race."