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IRELAND’S KATIE-GEORGE Dunlevy and Linda Kelly have won a silver medal in the Women’s B Road Race in the Paris Paralympics.
It is Dunlevy’s eighth Paralympic medal in total.
The 42-year-old Irish star, who had gone into the event as reigning champion, and Kelly finished with a time of 2:37:29 and had led for a substantial portion of the race but were pipped at the climax by British duo Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl (2:37:26).
Britain’s Lora Fachie and pilot Corrine Hall (2:39:01) claimed the bronze medal this afternoon and another Irish pair, Josephine Healion and Eve McCrystal (2:42:05), produced a similarly impressive performance to finish fourth.
There has been a fascinating cycling rivalry between Britain and Ireland at these Games.
The same British pair also beat Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal to first place on the track on Sunday before Dunlevy and Kelly won Ireland’s first gold medal in the Paris Paralympics in the women’s B individual time trial, with Unwin and Jenny Holl settling for silver.
It is Ireland’s sixth medal at the Paralympics in total.
Dunlevy has won three — two with Kelly and one with McCrystal. In addition, swimmer Róisín Ní Ríain has won silver and bronze medals while Orla Comerford won bronze in the Women’s T13 100-metres.
“I wanted to win gold and retain my title so it was a bit disappointing but a silver medal is amazing,” Dunlevy told RTÉ afterwards.
“We gave our all but they’re better sprinters than us and we had nothing left at that stage.”
Meanwhile, 46-year-old McCrystal confirmed Paris would be her last Paralympics as a distinguished career comes to an end. She will race at the Para World Championships later this month, but draw the curtain thereafter.
“It has been a hell of a journey,” she told reporters. “It has been ten years, I have six Paralympic medals, I have given everything to the Paralympics. It will sink in eventually when I get home, ten years is a long time, but I’m ready to go.
“Fourth is the best we could do today. At the end of the day, it is just one off a medal. Josie did fantastic, it was the longest race she has ever done. You are at the Paralympic Games, everybody is gonna be in top form and she left everything that she had out there.”
“Katie-George will be disappointed she didn’t get gold, so there is no point in saying different,” McCrystal added. “But she will reflect and she will be happy. She is walking away with three Paralympic medals, that is her eighth in total. She is going to be happy, but she always wants to win.”
Healion shared her intent to go again for LA 2028, and reflected on her final race at her first Games.
“It’s painful, I think I lost my soul out there. You really have to fight to keep going. A lot goes through your head but you have to just keep pushing and that’s it. Fourth place, we’re happy with it at the end of the day. Really grateful to be here. Fantastic.”
- With reporting from Emma Duffy at Clichy-sous-Bois
Originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
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