Reid it and weep: Gold and silver delight for Australia at Tokyo Paralympics

The sight of a gold medal on an Australian at the Izu Velodrome returned on day three of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, with Amanda Reid (NSW) powering home to a huge win in the Women’s C1-3 500m Time Trial.

Reid, 24, was unstoppable in the first medal event of the day on the track, setting a new C2 500m TT world record at 38.487.

The Sydneysider is competing at her third Paralympic Games and now adds a gold medal to her Paralympics collection after winning a silver at Rio 2016 in the same event.

“It just means everything, the last five years have been very up and down, so to get the gold is just amazing – it feels so great,” Reid said.

“I was hoping for a world record, but I was a bit everywhere on the track, a bit like a zig-zag on the track and that’s because of my cerebral palsy, so it can be very interesting when you ride.

The proud Gurinagi and Wamba Wamba woman is one of two Indigenous Australians competing in this year’s Paralympics and said it means everything to her to represent her people back home.

“I'm hoping that I can encourage more Aboriginal, disabled athletes to get into sport,” she said.

Alistair Donohoe (VIC) added a second silver medal to his Paralympic tally in the Men’s C5 4000m Individual Pursuit in a pulsating gold medal final.

The Nhulunbuy-born 26-year-old was unable to overcome Frenchman Dorian Foulon in the race for gold, who had set a new world record benchmark of 4:18.274 in qualifying.

Donohoe’s attention now turns to the road race and time trial next week, which will incorporate Fuji International Speedway.

Australian Gordon Allan (NSW) added his name to the world record books earlier in the day during the Men’s C1-3 1000m Time Trial.

The youngest member of the Australian Paralympic para-cycling team stopped the clock at 1:10.331 to become the fastest C2 kilo man in history and finish fifth in the C1-3 TT.

Allan, 23, will line up tomorrow in the Team Sprint with training partner Reid and Paige Greco (SA).