Gold medalists Kadeena Cox, Jaco van Gass and Jody Cundy of Great Britain celebrate after the Para Cycling Track - Open C1-5 750m Team Sprint Final. GETTY IMAGES

Great Britain capped off a spectacular para-cycling track campaign at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games by finishing at the top of the medal table after a thrilling final day at the National Velodrome in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines. Team GB secured three of the four gold medals available on Sunday, bringing their total to five golds in the para-cycling track events.

In the Women’s B 3000m individual pursuit, Sophie Unwin and her pilot Jenny Holl clinched gold with a time of 3’19”149, overcoming Ireland’s Katie-George Dunlevy and pilot Eve McCrystal. Lora Fachie, piloted by Corrine Hall, took bronze after defeating fellow British competitors Elizabeth Jordan and pilot Dannielle Khan, who had previously won gold in the 1000m time trial.

Unwin and Holl trailed the Irish duo for much of the race, but a late surge saw them take the lead at the 2500m mark, securing their victory. This gold adds to the bronze they earned earlier in the Women’s B 1000m time trial. "We’ve had this as our goal since the World Champs last year," said Unwin. "We tried a harder gear, and while it started out horrifically, it worked in the end."

The British pair entered the final as favorites after breaking the world record set by compatriots Fachie and Hall in Tokyo, lowering it from 3’19”483 to 3’17”643 during qualifying.

In the Men’s B 1000m time trial, Great Britain’s James Ball and his pilot Steffan Lloyd secured gold with a time of 58”964. Neil Fachie, a two-time gold medalist and 10-time UCI World Champion, won silver with his pilot Matthew Rotherham. Germany’s Thomas Ulbricht and pilot Robert Förstemann, who had set the fastest time in qualifying, took bronze.



"We knew it would be tough to beat Neil," Ball admitted. "The last time I won a kilo [against him] was in 2019!" Lloyd added, "To win with one of my best friends is unbelievable. He’s so determined, he never gives up. I’m so happy."

Great Britain continued their dominance by defending their title in the open C1-C5 750m team sprint, defeating Spain in the gold medal final. The British team, consisting of Kadeena Cox,Jaco van Gass, and Jody Cundy, had qualified fastest and maintained their form to secure victory. This win marked van Gass’s second gold of the Games and Cundy’s 10th career Paralympic gold across swimming and cycling.

In the Women’s C5 3000m individual pursuit, France’s Marie Patouillet won gold, adding to the silver she earned in the C4-C5 500m time trial. Patouillet defeated her compatriot, 19-year-old Heidi Gaugain, with a time of 3’35”691. Gaugain, who had qualified fastest in the morning, finished in 3’37”723. New Zealand’s Nicole Murray took bronze, defeating Italy’s Claudia Cretti in the third-place match.

Reflecting on her victory, Patouillet said, "I was so tired in the final but told myself to give it everything and have no regrets. The crowd’s support helped me immensely in the last four laps as my legs were hurting, but I gritted my teeth and pushed through."