Mytholmroyd cyclist Karen Darke wins gold at Rio Paralympics

Halifax-born Karen Darke has gone one better than the London 2012 Paralympics by winning gold in the H1-3 time trial in Rio.
By The Newsroom
Published 14th Sep 2016, 15:41 BST
Updated 15th Sep 2016, 16:33 BST
Mytholmroyd hand cyclist Karen Darke is competing in the London 2012 ParalympicsMytholmroyd hand cyclist Karen Darke is competing in the London 2012 Paralympics
Mytholmroyd hand cyclist Karen Darke is competing in the London 2012 Paralympics

The 45-year-old from Mytholmroyd has continued her good form this season and triumphed in the road cycling event in a time of 33 minutes 44.93 seconds.

In 1993 Karen fell while climbing and was paralysed from the chest down.

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She started handbiking in 2009 and joined the Great Britain Cycling Team in 2010 and enjoyed immediate success winning bronze medals in the H2 time-trial and H2 road race in 2011.

Her success led to her selection for the Paralympic Games in 2012, where she secured a silver medal in the H1-2 time-trial.

Karen and her team-mate Rachel Morris then produced one of the most memorable moments of the Paralympic Games when rather than deciding to race each other for the bronze medal in the H1-3 road race, they decided to cross the finish line hand in hand, crossing the finish line in the same time, though Morris was later awarded the bronze medal.