Ireland's Dunlevy, and pilot Kelly, win Paralympics gold in Paris | Video

Katie George Dunlevy has extended her Paralympic gold medal-winning run to three Games, this time with Linda Kelly as pilot (Photo: Ramsey Cardy-Sportsfile)

Katie-George Dunlevy, and pilot Linda Kelly, have won gold in the women's B TT at the Paris Paralympics today, extending an incredible run for Dunlevy, who was taking gold at her third consecutive Games.

She had also already won a silver on the track - being piloted by Eve McCrystal - but today hit the jackpot as the racing move to the road and riding with new pilot, Kelly, in today's 10-bike TT and in a time of 38:16.58.

Great Britain's tandems took the silver and bronze, in times of 39:40.18 and 40:41.30. Ireland's Josephine Healion and Eve McCrystal, placed 5th some 3:41.03 down on winners Dunlevy and Kelly.

Richael Timothy today finished 12th in the women's C1-3 TT, Damian Vereker and pilot Mitchell McLaughlin were 7th in the B TT and Ronan Grimes was 8th in the C4 TT.

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“It was a really, really challenging course. Really technical. I thought we were going to come off a few times but that’s racing for you. You’re on the limit," said Dunlevy after the gold medal winning ride.

"We knew the course suited us, the uphill sections suited us so we had to really go over on our power on those hill parts because that was where we’d get time on the other bikes and I think we delivered a really good ride.

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“Even on the second lap we were able to y push out big power on those hills. When we heard we were down on the first lap I thought ‘keep going, just keep going’.

“I’ve been in many races where it’s not over ‘til you cross that line so you’ve just got to keep going and just hope the other bikes maybe fade. You’ve just got to keep strong, keep racing, keep believing, just keep racing to that finish line."

The pair established a lead over Sophie Unwin, piloted by Jenny Holl, for Great Britain, which grew throughout, ultimately resulting in a 1:23.60 difference. Also for Great Britain and completing the podium was Lora Fachie, piloted by Corrie Hall.

“When I heard we were up I was just trying to relax and push and feel what Linda was doing in front and just try and be as aero as I could be behind her, tucked in. I’m just so proud of her. We had pressure on us. I was trying to retain my title from Tokyo, she knew that," said Dunlevy.

“Linda came on board last year and she’s done so well with so much pressure on her today to deliver but I believed in her, believed in every pedal stroke. She had concussion in May so had time off the bike. She had a lot of challenges this year, we both did so for us to come away with the win, I’m just very emotional now. I can’t quite believe this!”

Kelly was also clearly delighted become a Paralympic champion for the first time saying: “It's magic, it’s just like a dream. I can’t believe it. It’s going to take a while to sink in. I’m just so happy.

"We both put the work in, it’s been a roller-coaster of a year with Katie’s collarbone and my concussion. I’m just so proud of Katie; how she recovered from the broken collarbone. She put the work in. She wanted to be here. She just wanted to win. We both had the same ambition. I’m absolutely thrilled, just over the moon.”

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