Paralympic Games: Karen Darke and Rachel Morris denied shared bronze

By JO ATKINSON
Published on 08/09/2012 02:45

KAREN Darke was denied a second medal of the London 2012 Paralympic Games despite recording the third quickest time at the handcycling road race event.

After Darke and British team-mate Rachel Morris took the decision to cross the finishing line together in an attempt to tie third-place, Morris was adjudged to have finished marginally ahead following a photo finish. The record books will show they both recorded a time of 1:43:08, but it is Morris who made the podium, with Darke having to settle for fourth in the H1-3 event at Brands Hatch.

The race was won by American Marianna Davis, with her compatriot Monica Bascio claiming silver, 59 seconds clear of the time posted by Darke and Morris. Officials denied the opportunity for the pair to share Britain’s 21st cycling medal of the Games – surpassing the 2008 total of 20 – and Morris had to collect bronze alone. “Halfway around the last lap we had dropped everybody else and we knew we weren’t going to catch the Americans and we were safe for bronze,” Morris said. “We have worked so hard together these last two years we couldn’t bear the thought of crossing the line ahead of each other so we grabbed our hands together 50 metres out and went through the line together.”

Darke, who was born in Halifax but lives in Inverness, insisted she was happy for her training partner, having already won herself a silver medal in the time trial event. “I’m delighted for Rachel, she so deserves it,” said the 41-year-old, who was making her Paralympic Games debut.

“I got a medal the other day so we both have something to celebrate. We’ve worked so hard together over the last few years we couldn’t bear the thought of pipping each other to the line.

“It wasn’t that one of us was stronger than the other, so we just thought ‘let’s do it, let’s grab our hands at 50m and go’.”

Darke has helped Morris return to action after she suffered whiplash and shoulder injuries when hit by a car during a time trial race in Hampshire. That put her very participation in the Games at risk, and Morris says she has been thankful for Darke’s support.

“Going into the last lap we realised we had a comfortable gap between us and the next lot,” she said. “It’s been quite emotional in the last few weeks and this year has been a bit tough and Karen has been amazing. To go across the line together felt really right. They have awarded two medals in some of the other events so it was a bit of a shame.”

Italy’s Alex Zanardi claimed his second Paralympic gold medal with victory in the men’s H4 road race. The 45-year-old now has two wins at the Kent motor-racing circuit where he first raced as an F3000 driver 21 years ago before losing his legs in an accident in 2001.

Zanardi, who won time-trial gold on Wednesday, won the 64km race in a sprint finish ahead of South Africa’s Ernst van Dyk, with Belgium’s Wim Decleir third. “To win this race in this way, in such a dramatic way and sprinting makes me really proud,” said Zanardi. “It shows that I am a complete cyclist, even if I have no legs.”