After years of anticipation and of focused preparation for the Paralympics in Beijing the final month before making the start line time has flown by.  I arrived in Macau on the 2nd September, after a very pleasant flight in business class to Hong Kong and then a choppy ferry trip across the waters to the gambling capital of Asia, Macau.  But it’s no gambling for me!  Rather it’s all about minimizing risk and riding 2 very calculated and considered races on the 12th and 13th September. 

I check into my humble abode, a pleasant 5* hotel over looking a beach, and get straight out on the road just to turn over the legs and ensure minimal jet lag.  The holding camp provided by the British Paralympics Association is quiet as the majority of athletes have already gone to Beijing.  I have opted to stay in Macau as late as possible to avoid the pressures and emotional roller coasters that surround being in such a closed and intense environment as the Paralympic Village.

I spend the next few days keeping my legs moving with some more intense sessions on the Trike.  Macau is really hot and humid, a change from the UK, but luckily I had been in the South of France training prior to flying to Hong Kong so it is less of adjustment and shock to the system.  I get massages, enjoy a good book and see the body recover after a really intense few months of training, including some hard Saturday morning rides with the Scholes group where it became more apparent that those out were wanting to return home victorious after giving a Paralympian a good kickin’!

I fly to Beijing feeling ready to do battle.  On arrival I’m on the turbo straight away with a view of the birds nest and feeling ‘wowed’ by the grandeur of it all.  Over the following two days I cycle the course which is fantastic, comprising of big fast roads, a nice climb at the start followed by undulations with lots of bends.  I’m happy I’ve done a lot of work on the trike this year and am feeling fierce on it. 

Race day arrives and, surprisingly, I awake having had a good night’s sleep. The sky is clear blue and it’s evident that it’s gonna be hot!  I’m at the course for 9am, ride round it once, put my feet up and then jump on the turbo to do my warm up overlooking the reservoir and the imposing mountains. Unlike my usual frantic rush to the start line I’m here ahead of schedule and can try to relax a little while I watch my competitors set off ahead of me.  3, 2, 1 and I’m off!  Riding well, cornering is spot on and all feels good.  I catch my minute man fairly swiftly and power on through.  With 5km’s to go I’m aware it has turned into a really hot day and I’m wishing I had a bottle now.  With a dry mouth and the body screaming I carry on pounding to the finish, catching all but 3 of my competitors as I cross the line. 

‘Have I won?’ is all that’s going through my head.  I’m asking all around me while feeling faint from the effort.  The result is complicated by factoring and as a consequence is not immediately known.  The Time Trial is a combined event comprising both men and women and two categories CP1 (more disabled) and my category of CP2.  The factoring takes account of the respective winning times last year in each of the four categories.  The philosophy behind the approach is that the fastest person within each of the categories who has improved the most over the year wins.  The final result is announced….. I’ve won!  It feels good.  I am then rushed about for the next 2 hours to see the media, do doping, attend the medal ceremony and a press conference before being able to see those who have come to see it all unfold.  After factoring I win by 1m14s.  Before factoring my closest rival is 2m10s behind me, the largest winning margin I’ve had.  In my first world trike event in 2005 it was only 1 second! 

I get back early evening on a high and sleep doesn’t come so easily now.   Next day I’m up earlier for the Road Race, waking fairly confident knowing the times posted by my competitors and that the longer distance of the Road Race suits me more than the turn Time Trial.  I turn the legs over once at the course and go to the start line.   Sitting at the line, with minutes to go, I suddenly realize I’ve forgotten something and rush around sorting it which results in me getting  back to the start line in my usual more panicky state.  From the gun I take the lead at a steady pace with riders on my wheel.  At the first difficult bend it becomes apparent that carnage is likely while such a large group of trikes are together.  I make it around the corner safely, get to the front at a steady pace and then put the pressure on at the climb.  The Italian is the last to lose my wheel and I power over the climb to an open road with only a gold medal in front of me.  I ride the rest of the race well, while checking over my shoulder a fair bit to see if anyone is catching me.  No one does, and I take my second Gold of the Games celebrating with a wheelie over the line!

My coach Gary Brickley is there to congratulate me straight away, the foundations of my success through continually pushing me harder on the bike.  Later I see my mum who has helped embed the ruthlessness and confidence in me that has led to this success.  I watch my team mate and good friend Darren Kenny take his 4th Gold of the Games in the CP3 Road Race in pure style and then it’s time to celebrate.

Thank You Yorkshire Road Club for taken me on as a CYCLIST.