Swimming and cycling headline gold rush

Three Tokyo stars defended their titles to add Paris gold to their collection in thrilling fashion at the Paralympics.

Jaco van Gass won Britain’s first cycling gold, breaking the world record on his way to victory in the C3 3000m individual pursuit, edging out team-mate Fin Graham in the final.

In the pool Tully Kearney claimed her second gold in 24 hours to defend her S5 100m freestyle title and was followed onto the top of the podium by team-mate Maisie Summers-Newton, who won the SM6 200m individual medley.

But if established stars were shining again new ones were being made too - Lizzi Jordan winning gold at the velodrome just four years after riding a bike for the first time.

Jordan was just 19 years old when she contracted a rare form of E. coli from suspected food poisoning, spending two months in a coma as her organs slowly shut down.

When she awoke, she’d lost her sight but together with pilot Danielle Khan she dominated her rivals in Paris.

“Sport has given me a sense of purpose, a sense of achievement, it’s saved me really. I’ve achieved more without my sight than I did with it,” she said.

“I’ve worked really hard from the bottom to the top. It’s a great story and should be a good example for other people of what happens if you believe in what you can achieve.”

Jordan was a talented equestrian before her life changed and the freedom of flying at 40mph around the velodrome is now when she feels most alive.

“As I blind person we live our life more slowly, cycling gives me a sense of freedom that I don’t get from anything else,” she added.

“When I arrived at the velodrome just four years ago, I’d never cycled before and it all seemed so unrealistic.”

Van Gass’s victory in his event was all the more remarkable coming just a week after he was hit by a car as he practiced for next week’s road race.

“I was totally heartbroken, I was like this could be my Paralympics done before I’ve even started,” said the former paratrooper, who lost his left arm during conflict in Afghanistan.

“I was so worried but I was quickly in an ambulance and in hospital and the medical teams could not have done more. I woke up the next day so stiff and sore and it was very hard to even comprehend I’d be riding.

“I wasn’t worried about the cuts but my knee was really badly bruised but within two days I was back on the bike. I did a session at the velodrome and then I knew I’d be okay, after all it was only a Renault!”

At La Defense Arena, Summers-Newton overcame crippling self-doubt to retain her medley title and cement her status as the face of British para swimming.

The 22-year-old romped to victory in the SM6 200m individual medley by a margin of 5.60 seconds.

Summers-Newton made it look easy as she surged clear on the breaststroke leg but then revealed that defending her crown was anything but.

“I was really, really nervous,” said the Northampton native.

“I think that is something that has come since Tokyo, there has been a lot of pressure being Paralympic champion. I’m a person who is quite self-doubtful.

“I’m just trying to enjoy it and remind myself that I’ve been at the top since 2018 and I’m obviously doing something right. I think I put so much pressure on myself.”

Meanwhile, Kearney is hoping her medals send a message to those battling with their mental health.

“It’s incredible,” she said. “I struggle with my mental health and I hope this proves to everyone that’s struggling that you can still achieve things.

“That doesn’t mean that it’s the end for you.”

In addition to Graham’s silver at the velodrome, cycling team-mate Blaine Hunt - sporting his handlebar moustache - finished second behind Australia’s Korey Boddington in the men’s C4-5 1,000m time trial.

“My wife sleeps with three bikes in the bedroom, at least one in the front room - there’s about five in the shed,” he said.

“I miss out on family things. My nan died before I came here. They’re postponing the funeral so I can be there. It’s things like that you miss out on.”

Some silvers are celebrated not all are, with swimmer Brock Whiston frustrated with second place in the women’s SB8 100m breaststroke.

“I’m actually really disappointed, not because I came second but my time. I’ve done a lot faster this season. I don’t really know what happened,” she said.

Elsewhere, there were bronze medals for cyclists Matthew Robertson and Sophie Unwin, alongside guide Jenny Holl, in the men’s C2 3,000m pursuit and women’s 1000m time trial respectively.