November 6 - Britain's cyclists off to a great start on the opening day of the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships at the Manchester Velodrome tonight, winning gold and silver in two events.

 

Neil Fachie (pictured), making his debut, and his tandem tandem pilot rider, Barney Storey, triumphed in the B&Vi one-kilometre time-trial in 1min 2.217sec, surpassing the previous best by 0.647sec, while Britain's Simon Jackson and pilot David Readle were second.

 

Darren Kenny then pipped Rik Waddon to gold in the CP3 one-kilometre time-trial by 0.041sec.

 

Fachie, who is visually impaired only switched to cycling earlier this year after competing as a sprinter at the Beijing Olympic Games, was thrilled with the win, which bettered the previous world record set by Storey and Anthony Kappes in winning Paralympic gold in China.

 

The 25-year-old from Aberdeen said: "It's just amazing.

 

"I knew we were going really well in training and I knew we were in with a shout.

 

"To finally be able to do it and put all the training to good use, it hasn't quite sunk in but I'm delighted.

 

"I never got to this level in athletics and I can't wait to get up on the podium and experience it now and have my medal round my neck.

 

"To be a world record holder as well is just phenomenal."

 

Storey, who piloted Kappes in Beijing and Jackson at May's Paralympic World Cup in Manchester, said: "All the different people I keep working with, it just keeps rejuvenating me.

 

"It gives you extra motivation to push on and push a bit more."

 

Jackson, who is a three-time Paralympic judo champion, was magnanimous in defeat.

 

The 37-year-old from Rochdale said: "It's the hardest silver medal I've ever won in my life.

 

"We gave everything we had."

 

Jackson's partnership with Readle, who works in psychological sport for British Cycling under Dr Steve Peters, psychologist to the likes of triple Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy, is only four months old.

 

He said: "I was just happy to help with Simon."

 

Six-time Paralympic gold medallist Kenny claimed his 11th world champion's rainbow jersey with a storming last lap to beat Waddon.
 

Kenny, who also won the road race at the Para-Cycling Road World Championships in Italy in September, was behind Waddon at each of the first three splits before pulling it back to win by 0.041.
 

The 39-year-old from Dorset said: "I didn't know how far down I was.

 

"I just went out there and did what I could do."