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Kadeena Cox rued a “really rubbish year” after her eight-year reign as Paralympic C4-5 time trial champion ended in frustrating fashion with a crash at Paris 2024.
British cyclist Cox, who was second fastest in qualifying behind Caroline Groot, fell on the first corner of her medal race after wobbling following a slow start.
Daphne Schrager and Stephen Bate subsequently secured Britain’s maiden podium places in France with silvers at the velodrome.
Schrager finished second in the women’s C1-3 3000m individual pursuit, while Bate and pilot Chris Latham were runners-up in the men’s B 4000m individual pursuit.
Following a series of fitness setbacks, Cox, who has multiple sclerosis, appeared distraught as she hobbled from the track with assistance from members of the ParalympicsGB team.
“I think I got back on the bike two weeks ago,” she said. “I was in a boot four weeks ago.
“It has just been a really rubbish year. This time last year I couldn’t walk because I had a really bad relapse that affected my right side.
“It has been a roller-coaster, I guess that’s MS. It’s just not what you want a year out from the Games.
“The fact that I got here was amazing in itself – I’m just gutted I was able to ride a ride that was pretty great in the first round and then not go out there and show what I’m capable of.”
Leeds-born Cox was denied a restart as the fall was deemed not to be down to a mechanical fault.
She continued to receive treatment on the floor of the track centre long after the event had finished.
I overcompensated and just couldn't balance on my weaker side. It was all over the shop.— Kadeena Cox
The world record holder had looked odds-on to become GB’s first medallist of the Games following her triumphs at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
Dutch rider Groot subsequently took the title, ahead of French home favourite Marie Patouillet, with Canadian Kate O’Brien third.
Cox is scheduled to race again on Sunday when she defends the C1-5 mixed team sprint title alongside Jody Cundy and Jaco van Gass.
“It was a weird one – I didn’t feel comfortable in the gate,” she said of her fall.
“My right side is my weak side and with a condition like mine, riding can’t always be perfect.
“I overcompensated and just couldn’t balance on my weaker side. It was all over the shop.”
Actor and martial artist Jackie Chan was part of the presentation party as Schrager received her landmark medal.
The 23-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, only joined the cycling programme in 2019, having never previously ridden.
She set a C2 world record of 3:45.133 in qualifying before clocking 3:51.129 in the final, just under 10 seconds slower than Chinese gold medallist Xiaomei Wang.
“If you’d asked me a year ago, I would have bitten your arm off to have one,” Schrager said of the medal.
“I could feel she (Wang) was coming and I knew I didn’t have any more to give. I gave it everything and I broke my world record in the process, I’m so happy I did that. She was just better on the day.”
Two-time Paralympic champion Bate celebrated the fifth medal of his Games career.
He and Latham were just over two seconds slower than Dutch duo Tristan Bangma and Patrick Bos, who won with a new world record of 3:55.396.
“The medal represents nine months of hard graft and a massive team effort,” said 47-year-old Bate.
“We gave it everything we had to try to beat the Dutch guys but they proved how world class they are.”
