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Tokyo Paralympics: Sarah Storey is now Britain's most successful Paralympian - with 17 golds

sarah storeyImage source, PA
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Sarah's win in the road race was her third gold medal of the Toyko Games

Sarah Storey has won her 17th Paralympic gold to become Great Britain's most successful Paralympian of all time.

The 43-year-old defended the women's C4-5 road race title she has held since London 2012.

This put her one gold medal ahead of previous record holder Mike Kenny.

She punched the air in celebration as she crossed the line in two hours, 21 minutes and 51 seconds.

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Sarah Storey

After the race she said: "I'm a bit overwhelmed, I feel like it's happening to someone else.

"I can't really explain or compute anything about the race, but crossing the line first felt so good."

Storey's gold was her third of this Paralympics, after winning the individual pursuit on the track before claiming time-trial gold.

This is her eighth Games but she hasn't always been seen on a bike. She made her debut in Barcelona in 1992 as a swimmer.

Storey now has 28 Paralympic medals in total and has not won anything except gold since making her cycling Paralympic debut at Beijing 2008.

More facts about Sarah
  • She started her career as a swimmer and made her debut in Barcelona in 1992

  • She switched to cycling in 2005

  • If she wasn't a Paralympian, Sarah says she'd be a PE teacher!

  • She's also a mum - her children are Louisa (8) and Charlie (3)

So how is she feeling about it all? She said: "I just feel immensely proud and also immensely grateful to have so much support and to have such a great team around me and also a great team back at home.

"They're the ones who are able to make this possible, by putting me on the start line in a position to go for it, so I'm a little bit lost for words in many ways."

Sarah Storey's career in pictures

Sarah Bailey - as she then was - pictured with members of the Great Britain squad at the 1996 Paralympics in Atlanta, where. aged 18, she won three gold medals in swimmingImage source, ParalympicsGB
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Sarah Bailey - as she then was - pictured with members of the Great Britain squad at the 1996 Paralympics in Atlanta, where, aged 18, she won three gold medals in swimming

Sarah Storey stares at the clock after shattering her own 200m backstroke record by over six seconds in 1993
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Sarah Bailey stares at the clock after shattering her own 200m backstroke record by more than six seconds in October 1993, just after her 16th birthday

Sarah Storey with a silver medal at the Athens 2004 ParalympicsImage source, Getty Images
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Sarah Storey won two silvers and a bronze in swimming at the Athens 2004 Paralympics

Sarah Storey celebrates on the podium at the velodrome at the Beijing 2008 ParalympicsImage source, Getty Images
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Beijing 2008 was Sarah Storey's first Paralympics as a cyclist - she won two golds

Sarah Storey celebrates winning the road race at London 2012Image source, Getty Images
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Sarah Storey won her first Paralympic road race title at London 2012

Sarah Storey shows off her gold medals at the London 2012 paradeImage source, Getty Images
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Sarah Storey won four gold medals at the London 2012 Games

Sarah Storey and her daughter Louisa hold her gold medal at the Rio 2016 ParalympicsImage source, SWpix.com
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Rio 2016 was Sarah Storey's first Paralympics as a mother. She and husband Barney welcomed daughter Louisa in 2013 while son Charlie arrived in 2017

Sarah Storey celebrates after crossing the lineImage source, ParalympicsGB
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Sarah Storey is competing at her eighth Paralympics