Two-time Paralympian Kate Horan has started the New Zealand Para Cycling Team campaign at the UCI Para Cycling Track World Championships in great form winning a silver medal in the Women’s C4 500m Time Trial.
The 42-year-old Para cyclist was less than 2 seconds off the gold medal winner Jianping Ruan (China) and a similar margin ahead of bronze medallist Emily Petricola (Australia).
The New Zealand Para Cycling Team had three other Para athletes competing today, including Sarah Ellington who following her successful international debut at the UCI Para Cycling Road World Championships last year, took to the track in Rio. Ellilngton narrowly missed qualification for the final and came away with a 5th placing in the Women’s C3 3km Individual Pursuit.
International debutants Nicole Murray and Nick Blincoe came away with brilliant personal best times on top of a 7th and 15th place respectively. Murray competed in the Women’s C5 500m Time Trial, while Blincoe debuted in the Men’s C5 1km Time Trial.
Horan said: “I was so nervous which really shocked me as I have been around international Para cycling for a while now. But I think I felt the pressure more than I ever have as I am now a senior member of the team and there are no excuses – I’ve been around, I know how it is done and I just had to get on with it.“
She continued: “The conditions were not that favourable for a sprinter today, a bit cold in the velodrome. However it was really bitter sweet coming back to Rio nearly 18 months after the Paralympic Games. I lost my mum just after Rio 2016 so there was a lot of emotion attached to that medal, more than any other medal I have won.“
Stu MacDonald (Para Cycling Head Performance Coach) said: “I’m really pleased with team performances today in Rio. The highlight being Kate’s performance and winning the silver medal in the Women’s C4 500m Time Trial. Kate has shown a huge amount of resilience to bounce back after a pretty average winter in New Zealand. Where she was battling illness ad injury throughout. However, she has really progressed well through the summer and her silver medal has been earned through perseverance and hard work. So really well done to Kate.“
He continued: “The other members of the team racing today – Nicole, Nick and Sarah. They performed really well and thrived in their first ever UCI Para Cycling Track World Championships. Some huge PB performances from Nick and Nicole taking over a second off their previous PBs in their respective events. Sarah just missed out on a finals ride placing 5th overall. This has been a huge learning experience for Sarah and will be invaluable in the future.“
Results to date include:
|
Para cyclist |
Classification / Impairment |
Club |
Event |
Result |
|
Day 1 | ||||
|
Kate Horan |
C4 – Limb deficiency (left below the knee amputee) |
Wellington |
Women’s C4 500m Time Trial |
Silver medal |
|
Sarah Ellington |
C3 Loss of muscle power (Incomplete paraplegia) |
Auckland |
Womens C3 3km Individual Pursuit |
5th |
|
Nicole Murray |
C5 – Limb deficiency (left wrist amputee) |
Waikato |
Women’s C5 500m Time Trial |
7th and PB |
|
Nick Blincoe |
C5 – Loss of muscle power (complete right arm) |
Auckland |
Men’s C5 1km Time Trial |
15th and PB |
The New Zealand Para Cycling Team includes:
|
Para cyclist |
Classification |
Impairment |
Club |
Resides |
|
Kate Horan |
C4 |
Limb deficiency (left below the knee amputee) |
Wellington |
Wellington |
|
Nikita Howarth |
C4 |
Bilateral upper limb deficiency |
Waikato |
Cambridge |
|
Sarah Ellington |
C3 |
Loss of muscle power (Incomplete paraplegia) |
Auckland |
Auckland |
|
Amanda Cameron and Hannah Van Kampen (sighted pilot) |
B/VI |
Visual and hearing impairment (Cameron only) |
Waikato / Waikato |
Cambridge / Cambridge |
|
Hannah Pascoe and Nina Wollaston (sighted pilot) |
B/VI |
Visual impairment (Pascoe only) |
Southland / Waikato |
Invercargill / Cambridge |
|
Nicole Murray |
C5 |
Limb deficiency (left wrist amputee) |
Waikato |
Otorohanga |
|
Nick Blincoe |
C4 |
Loss of muscle power (complete right arm) |
Auckland |
Auckland |
The 2018 UCI Para Cycling Track World Championships (March 22-25) at the Velodromo Municipal do Rio in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, mark the first time since the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games that an International Federation has returned to the Barra Olympic Park for an event of this stature.
