Gold in two different sports: Parker creates history in Paris with breathtaking win
By Tom Decent
Paris: Lauren Parker has become the first Australian Paralympian to win gold medals in two different sports at the same Games since 1976 after an easy win in the women’s road race (H1-4) on Thursday.
Fresh off her triathlon victory on Monday, the 35-year-old from Newcastle blew away her rivals to record a remarkable and comprehensive win by four minutes and 11 seconds.
Parker became a paraplegic in 2017 after a road cycling accident where both her tyres blew while she was travelling at 40km/h, which threw her into a guard rail.
She is in constant agony – she lives with chronic neuropathic pain from her chest to her feet – but has spoken about training and racing being her outlet.
Parker has likened the pain to “razor blades cutting” her, “burning alive” and “being eaten alive by acid”.
She was narrowly beaten for gold in the para-triathlon in Tokyo three years ago but has now picked up two golds inside three days in Paris.
Lauren Parker competes in the women’s road race on Thursday in Paris. Credit: Getty Images
Parker also took a silver medal in the women’s H1-3 individual time trial on Wednesday.
“I couldn’t be more happy,” Parker said. “No words can describe what I’m feeling right now.
“I really can’t believe it. I certainly didn’t expect that. It was such a tough race. I just treated it like a time trial and made the most of my opportunity on the first hill to get away.
“It definitely wasn’t easy. My arms are absolutely smashed. It’s been a full-on program, and I’m just so over the moon with my race today. Yeah, I just can’t believe it.”
Parker was the first Australian to compete in two Paralympic sports at the same Games since Jodi Willis-Roberts (athletics and goalball) and Kieran Modra (athletics and swimming) managed the feat at Barcelona 1992.
To win two gold medals, however, is rarefied air. The last Australian to achieve that was Eric Russell’s gold medals in class three shot put, javelin and pentathlon at the 1976 Toronto Paralympics.
In 1968 in Tel Aviv, Australian athlete Vic Renalson won athletics and weightlifting gold.
“Hard work pays off,” Parker said when told about the history she had created. “I’ve put in a lot of hard work in training and my preparation, so I’m just so stoked that it has paid off. I’ve come away with three medals in these games and two gold.”
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