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Leeds Beckett alumna becomes Britain’s greatest ever Paralympian
Sarah, who graduated in BSc (Hons) Sport & Exercise Science in 2000, won gold in the C4-5 road race to break the British gold medal record.
It is the third gold medal Sarah has won at the Tokyo Games, having won the C5 3000m individual pursuit and the C5 road time trial, an event which saw her equal Mike Kenny's British record of 16 gold medals.
Sarah is now Britain’s most decorated Paralympian having won 17 gold medals, eight silver and three bronze.
She made her debut at the 1992 Barcelona Games as a swimmer before transitioning to cycling at the 2008 Games in Beijing.
In an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live's Paralympic Breakfast, Sarah said:
"I don't know if it's sunk in. It's something everyone has been talking about since Rio when it became a mathematical possibility with me doing three more events in Tokyo,"
"But you can't take anything for granted and although I knew I had the capability to shut down the gap to Kerstin, when your legs don't feel as good as they have done in the time trial and then the individual pursuit, then you think today is not my day.
"It's one of those situations where I don't know whether it will sink in when I get home, or whether it will be in a few months or even never at all.
"I just feel immensely proud and also immensely grateful to have so much support and to have such a great team around me and also a great team back at home. They're the ones who are able to make this possible, by putting me on the start line in a position to go for it, so I'm a little bit lost for words in many ways."
Peter Mackreth, Dean of the Carnegie School of Sport, said:
“Sarah is an incredible role model who embodies the spirit of the Paralympic Games.
“Sarah has excelled in two sports across nearly three decades and is an inspiration for any aspiring athlete. As an alumna of Leeds Beckett University, we’d like to congratulate her on this remarkable achievement.”