Cyclist Storey wins first gold medal for Team GB (From Swindon Advertiser)

Cyclist Storey wins first gold medal for Team GB

5:37pm Thursday 30th August 2012 in London Olympics 2012 - Latest News

Super cyclist Sarah Storey was today hailed ParalympicsGB's golden girl as she became the first Brit to bag a gold medal at the Games.

The star of the track powered home in front of thousands of roaring fans who turned the velodrome into a seething cauldron of emotion as they roared her to victory.

Her win came just hours after she smashed her own world record on the track in the 3km C5 individual pursuit.

Storey caught her opponent just six-and-a-half laps into the scheduled 12 lap race.

The 35-year-old swimmer-turned cyclist described her eighth Paralympic title as a "dream come true".

It is her latest addition to a glittering CV, having won five golds in swimming and three in cycling. She holds a staggering 19 Paralympic medals in total.

It is hoped her victory, which came after Crystal Lane missed out on bronze in the same event, will spark a gold rush.

Storey, who was born with a partly formed left hand, caught her opponent in today's final after just 1km, causing the race to finish early.

Her victory is the first gold for the British team and came just an hour after Mark Colbourne bagged a silver in the men's individual 1km Time Trial.

Speaking after her stunning victory, Storey said: "I always thought that if I could get off to a great start it would set up the week and hopefully that's the case.

"To get the gold medal is a dream come true."