By Tom Degun in New Delhi

altOctober 8 - Seven-time Paralympic gold winner Sarah Storey (pictured) saw her dreams of taking a medal at the Commonwealth Games dashed despite a gutsy performance that left her sixth in the able-bodied women’s 3000m individual cycling pursuit.


The 33-year-old, who was born without a left hand, recorded a time of 3:39.964 in qualification at the velodrome to finish sixth, meaning she just missed out on a second ride as only four riders progressed to the next stage.

New Zealand’s Alison Shanks won gold in 3:32.114 ahead of Northern Ireland’s Wendy Houvenaghel who picked up silver in 3:34.560.

Canada’s Tara Whitten won bronze with a ride of 3:35.810, finishing ahead of Australia’s Jaime Nielsen in the third/fourth-placed ride-off.

But despite the disappointment there was good some news for Storey as she made history by becoming the first athlete to compete in disability and able-bodied events for England at two separate Commonwealth Games.

The former Paralympic swimming star swam in the disability category in Manchester 2002 where she just missed out on a medal.

Storey also became the second ever English Paralympian to compete in an able-bodied event at the Commonwealth Games following archer Danielle Brown, who became the first earlier this week.

Storey said: “I have proved that I can make it anyway.

“There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that with two hands I would have made it as well.

"Which means I am an athlete.

“That’s the first thing I am.

“All the rest is just circumstantial.”

Storey is aiming to qualify to compete in both the Olympics and Paralympics at the London 2012 Games.

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August 2010: 
Storey joins Brown in England Comonwealth Games team