Katie George Dunlevy and Linda Kelly Strike Gold in Para Cycling Road Race B Time Trial
Katie George Dunlevy, piloted by Linda Kelly, has secured a remarkable gold medal in the Para Cycling Road Race B Time Trial at the Paralympic Games. This victory adds to their bronze medal, with the dynamic duo completing the 28.3km course in an impressive time of 38:16.58.
When asked to describe her emotions, Dunlevy humorously remarked, “Pain is the word!” She elaborated on the race, describing the course as “really challenging” and “technical,” with several moments where they nearly lost control. Despite the difficulties, Dunlevy credited their success to the course’s uphill sections, where they were able to leverage their strengths.
Reflecting on their strategy, Dunlevy said, “Even on the second lap, we were able to push out big power on those hills. When we heard we were down on the first lap, I thought, ‘keep going, just keep going.’ You’ve just got to keep strong, keep racing, keep believing, and just race to that finish line.”
Kelly, who joined Dunlevy as her pilot last year, expressed her joy at becoming an Olympic champion. “It’s magic, it’s just like a dream,” she said. The journey to gold was not easy, as both athletes faced significant challenges, including Kelly’s concussion in May and Dunlevy’s recovery from a broken collarbone. Kelly praised Dunlevy’s determination, stating, “She wanted to be here. She just wanted to win. We both had the same ambition. I’m absolutely thrilled, just over the moon.”
In the same event, Josephine Healion, piloted by Eve McCrystal, finished in 5th place with a time of 41:57.61. Healion expressed satisfaction with her performance on the tough course, while McCrystal, proud of Healion’s debut Paralympic performance, extended congratulations to Dunlevy and Kelly on their victory.
The day was a busy one for Team Ireland’s Para Cycling athletes. Richael Timothy competed in the C1-3 Individual Time Trial, finishing 12th with a time of 24:32.40. Timothy used the race to familiarize herself with the course ahead of her main event, the Road Race.
Ronan Grimes finished 8th in the C4 Individual Time Trial with a time of 39:01.83. Although disappointed with his result, Grimes reflected positively on his overall experience at the Paralympics.
In the Men’s B Individual Time Trial, Damien Vereker and Mitchell McLaughlin secured 7th place with a time of 36:31.09. Both athletes are now focused on their main event, the Road Race, scheduled for Friday.
Elsewhere, Shauna Bocquet narrowly missed qualifying for the final in the T54 100m, finishing just 0.10 seconds short. Despite this, Bocquet remained upbeat, expressing her enjoyment of the race and her Paralympic experience.
In Para Equestrian, Galway’s Sarah Slattery narrowly missed out on a place in the Freestyle finals by just one spot, finishing 9th in the Grade V Individual event with a score of 68.401%. Slattery was thrilled with her performance, describing it as “amazing,” and praised her horse Savona for their strong showing.
The Paralympic Games continue with more action from Team Ireland, including Róisín Ní Riain in the SB13 100m Breaststroke on Thursday.