BEIJING, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Five world records fell
at the cycling track on the second day of the Beijing Paralympics here on
Monday.
American Jennifer Schuble blitzed the Laoshan
Velodrome to secure the first cycling gold for the United States, setting a new
world record of the CP4 class in the women's 500m time trial.
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Jennifer Schuble of the United States competes in the Women's 500m Time Trial(LC1-2/CP4) final of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games cycling track event on Sept. 8, 2008. Schuble claimed the title of the event with a time of 34.331 secs. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>> |
"It is the best time since I ever ride 500 (500
metres time trial). I feel super strong and very stable. It is a perfect track
for me and very smooth...people were cheering for me," said the 32-year-old.
"The Chinese did a good job today. I felt great
pressure from them and I admire them a lot," she said of silver and bronze
medallists Ye Yaping and Dong Jingping, who added the first two medals for the
host.
"I did my personal best in the competition today. The
silver is satisfactory," said Ye, who broke the world record of the LC2
class.
In the women's 500m time trial (LC3-4/CP 3), New
Zealand cyclist Paula Tesoriero tumbled heavily to the track after setting a new
world record of LC3 class at 43.281 seconds. But she came back strong on the top
podium to receive the first-ever Paralympic gold for her country.
"It really hurts, but happiness of success makes me
feel much better, and even let me forget the pain," said a smiling
Tesoriero.
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Jennifer Schuble(L) of the United States competes in the Women's 500m Time Trial(LC1-2/CP4) final of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games cycling track event on Sept. 8, 2008. Schuble claimed the title of the event with a time of 34.331 secs.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>> |
Her rival Aussie Jayme Paris, the bronze medallist,
refreshed the world record of the CP3 class at 44.490 seconds.
British Anthony Kappes and his pilot Barney Storey
scooped gold at men's 1km time trial, breaking their previous world record.
"There are so much training to win the gold medal.
Teamates, families and friends, all these people support you. You know it is for
all of these people," said the 35-year-old Kappes.
Michael Gallagher from Australia and Jiri Jezek from
the Czech Republic snatched gold medals in men's 4km individual pursuit of the
LC1 and LC2 classes, respectively.
So far, Britain and Australia have collected four and
three gold medals out of ten at the Paralympic cycling.