British cyclist Sarah Storey added to her glorious golden history as wheelchair rugby powerhouse Australia suffered a shock defeat on day one of the delayed Tokyo 2020 Paralympics on Wednesday.
Paige Greco, an Australian cyclist, had the honour of winning the first gold of the Games.
World and Paralympic records tumbled in the swimming pool and on the cycling track on a pulsating first day of competition that saw 24 gold medals awarded.
Greco was in record-breaking form as she beat China’s Wang Xiaomei in the gold medal race in C1-C3 class 3,000 metre individual pursuit at the Izu Velodrome.
Storey moved a step closer to becoming Britain’s greatest Paralympian, shattering her own world record in the heats before powering to victory in the C5 3,000 metres individual pursuit final for her 15th Paralympic gold.
Storey is just one medal behind the British record held by Mike Kenny, who won 16 swimming golds from 1976 to 1988.
Brazilian Daniel Dias, who is competing at his last Paralympics, has the chance to become the most decorated male Paralympic swimmer of all time if he wins three more golds to eclipse Kenny. But he could only take bronze in his opening event, the S5 men’s 200m freestyle, which was won by Italy’s Francesco Bocciardo in a new Paralympic record time.
Defending gold medallists Australia suffered a setback in its bid to become the first team to top the wheelchair rugby podium at three consecutive Games, edged out 54-53 by Denmark.
India’s para table tennis player Bhavina Hasmukh Patel lost 3-11, 9-11, 2-11 in just 18 minutes to China’s Zhou Ying in her opening Group A match in women’s singles – Class 4. Sonal Manu Patel lost to China’s Qian Li 9-11, 11-3, 15-17, 11-7, 11-4 in 36 minutes in her Group D in women’s singles – class 3.
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