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Dame Sarah Storey is prepared for “all eventualities” in Paris as she goes into her first Games with the status of Britain’s greatest Paralympian.
The 46-year-old cyclist is renowned for her meticulous planning and will become the first athlete to represent GB at nine Paralympics, having started out as a schoolgirl swimmer at Barcelona in 1992.
Storey took her career tally to 17 golds – surpassing the achievements of former swimmer Mike Kenny – with a trio of triumphs in Tokyo.
The last of those victories came at a deserted speedway circuit in the rain-soaked foothills of Mount Fuji – a stark contrast to being roared to success by a sun-drenched home crowd at London 2012.
Given her extensive 32-year Paralympic experience, mother-of-two Storey will be undaunted by whatever the French capital throws at her.
“I’ve competed internationally every year, even in the years when I had children,” she told the PA news agency.
“I’m prepared for all eventualities and that’s the thing that Tokyo taught everybody.
“In London, when everybody said, ‘how are you going to be preparing to compete in front of so many people?’, I said, ‘I’m also preparing to compete in an empty room’ – and then it happened (in Tokyo).
“And the same with the weather, you have to be prepared for every eventuality. I’ve done plenty of wet rides – I live in the Peak District after all!
“Every day is mapped out. There are plans A, B and C if things go wrong with health or weather or whatever it might be.”
Storey has worked her way back into peak form following a damaging crash which forced her to pull out of the 2022 Para Cycling Road World Championships and had a prolonged impact on performance.
She retains a 100 per cent Games record on the bike, spanning 12 races, and has the added incentive of attempting to defend her C5 time trial and C4-5 road race titles with children Louisa, 11, and Charlie, six, watching on.
“There have been a huge number of ups and downs over the last three years,” Storey said.
“When family couldn’t come to Tokyo and Charlie said, ‘well, you’ll have to do another one, Mum, so I can watch’, I was like, ‘oof, right, OK’.
“Louisa’s not sure if she remembers Rio, she’s obviously seen a lot of pictures.
“They came out with me (to Paris) at May half-term when I went to recce the courses so they’ve got an understanding of what’s going on.”
Storey aims to be straight back on the saddle on her return from France and has not ruled out competing in Los Angeles in 2028.
“I always take it Games by Games and I know I want to compete in Zurich at the world championships immediately after the Games,” she said.
“I never look beyond in terms of, ‘is this the last or not?’. But this is not the last competition.”
