Rio Paralympics 2016: Jody Cundy wins cycling gold to banish memories of his London 2012 disqualification
JODY CUNDY won an emotional Paralympic gold medal in Rio tonight – four years after he was sensationally disqualified at his home Games.
The British cyclist won the C4/C5 1km time-trial in 1min 04.492secs to claim his sixth Paralympic gold.
The 37-year-old from Wisbech had hoped that landmark would come in front of a home crowd at London 2012, but officials ruled against him, saying that he had false-started.
After hurling expletives and water bottles in the direction of the officials, Cundy refocused on Rio – and he delivered.
And 1,470 days after his bid for Paralympic gold on home soil ended in controversial fashion, Cundy has returned to the podium once again.
“I fell out of the gate because the f****** gate didn’t open,” Cundy was heard on camera saying at the London Velodrome back in 2012.
“I wanted to go and do a 1:03 in there and destroy everyone in front of a 6,000 home crowd. I’ll never ever get this opportunity again. Never, ever.”
He had been unbeaten in the kilo since 2006 and was the world record holder. London was his moment, at his fifth Paralympics, but a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was thwarted.
He responded from his London disappointment with bronze in the 4km individual pursuit, but he always spoke of unfinished business in the event he regarded as his.
And now he has belatedly claimed the gold he so desperately wanted four years ago.
Moments later in Rio this evening, Georgina Hermitage won the T37 100m final at the Olympic Stadium and, in the next final, Sophie Hahn claimed victory in the T38 100m final.
That means Great Britain’s gold medal total moved to nine on Friday’s second day of the Rio Paralympics.