Sochi Paralympics: Mental preparation was vital for Gallagher

Kelly Gallagher says Sports Institute of Northern Ireland performance coach Kelley Fay played an important role in her Winter Paralympics gold medal triumph.

Fay has worked with Gallagher and her guide Charlotte Evans since the last Winter Paralympics in Vancouver and the performance coach spoke to the duo after their disappointing sixth place in the opening Downhill event in Sochi on Saturday.

"We worked really hard with Kelley Fay from the Sport Institute in Northern Ireland to get ourselves motivated again and excited again and have some fun out there today," said Gallagher, 28, after her Super-G triumph.

Fay told BBC Radio Ulster said that the founding blocks of her work had been in "building up the relationship and trust" between the duo but added that "coping strategies, such as we saw after Saturday's disappointment, was also an important element".