Dame Sarah Storey: I want my children to experience the Paralympic games in Paris

Dame Sarah Storey sat down with sports reporter Chris Hall in the studio.

Britain's most successful Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey says her children have motivated her to take on the next Paralympics Games.

In Tokyo, the cyclist, from Disley, broke the UK record after winning her 17th gold medal, claiming the top spot in the C4-C5 race.

Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, none of her family were there to see that magical moment. She has told ITV Granada Reports, that is what is driving her on to Paris 2024.

She said: "Louisa was with us in Rio, she'd only just turned three, but she remembers so much of it. And Charlie - to be able to show him what the Games is like with all the other sports would just be an amazing thing to be able to do.

"I really want to share that with them and that journey. I've asked them if they think I should stop yet and both of them have said 'no'."

Storey told Granada Reports sports reporter Chris Hall that was not prepared to break Mike Kenny's British record with 17 Paralympic gold medals.

She said: "I always thought maybe, but you can't take anything for granted. When you're the first person who's defending champion, staying ahead is probably harder than trying to rise up the ranks.

"I think it was only in the final couple hundred metres, where I finally broke away after a really challenging race in incredible conditions, that I was thinking 'this is it, this is number 17'.

"It was so surreal because I'd not prepared for that moment because you never prepare for the end you always prepare for the race."

The remarkable story of Sarah Storey:

Storey was born in Eccles, Manchester, in 1977 with a partly formed left hand.

At the age of four she took to the pool and, after watching 15-year-old Sarah Hardcastle win silver and bronze at the the Olympics two years later in Los Angeles, she had her eye on glory.

Storey did not know the Paralympics existed until 1990 but just two years later she was competing – and winning – in the pool.