Gary O'Reilly shares his amazing story after winning bronze at the #Paralympics just four years after taking up hand-cycling. pic.twitter.com/0i7HxlPHvO

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 31, 2021

Gary O’Reilly – H5 Men’s Time Trial Final

This morning at 01:30, Gary O’Reilly took to his handcycle for the men’s Time Trial final. This was his second race of what is his debut at the Paralympic Games.

The young cyclist is still probably relishing his bronze medal finish in the time trial yesterday. He has become one of the tournament’s biggest surprises having only taken up the sport in 2017 after a workplace injury in 2014.

He has now laid a marker as one to watch for the rest of the competition and now with the final this morning he could prove he is one of the best in the world in his category.

This would be a much longer race than the final yesterday with this event stretching over 79.2km.

The Laois man did not get off to his strongest of starts as he tried to steady himself. Going by his historic race yesterday, he is a much better cyclist after the halfway mark, being able to push himself hard.

After 53km in the race, O’Reilly had himself sitting in fifth place needing a lot more work if he was to make the medal places. Over the next 20km, he pushed himself hard and work his way into fourth but it was not enough for a medal.

He finished in a time of 2:24:57 only 27 seconds behind the gold medallist, Netherland’s unstoppable cyclist Valize. A close silver went to France’s Vergnaud and bronze went to Netherland’s De Vries.

This will be a tough result for O’Reilly after fighting back only to lose out on a medal by 17 seconds.

On a more positive note, this race has now ensured that he will be remembered as one of the world’s strongest handcyclists, competing consistently and he will look forward to Paris in three years’ time.

#ParaCycling On the back of his bronze medal win yesterday, Gary O’Reilly finished in 4th place with a time of 2:24:57 in the H5 Road Race today.

Another excellent performance from Gary, this is just the start for Gary O’Reilly!#TeamIreland | #TheNextLevel pic.twitter.com/vYlAsdWGNV

— Paralympics Ireland (@ParalympicsIRE) September 1, 2021

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#ParaCycling #Bronze for GARY O'REILLY!

Gary O'Reilly bags bronze for #TeamIreland in the H5 Time Trial with a time of 39:36.46 Stopwatch

What a way to make your first appearance at a Paralympic Games #TheNextLevel | #Tokyo2020 | #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/4huTH3jEC7

— Paralympics Ireland (@ParalympicsIRE) August 31, 2021

Richael Timothy – Women’s C1-3 Time Trial

Timothy began her Paralympic day early, just after 09:00 in Tokyo. She was looking to go one step further on some of her performances earlier in the competition.

Timothy managed to break some personal best records while cycling in the Velodrome but today she took to the roads of Japan.

The athletes would start the race in stagnated runs with Timothy riding in the final three. Today would not be her day as she finished in 13th place with a time of 30:55.24.

Japanese cyclist Sugiura would take the gold medal on her home track. The silver medal would go to Sweden’s Beck while Australia’s Greco took a close third place.

#ParaCycling Richael Timothy returned to action this morning on Day 7, Richael finished the Road C1-3 Time Trial with a time of 30:55.24 in 14th place.

She will return to action on Day 10 in the Road Race.#TeamIreland | #TheNextLevel | #Tokyo2020 | #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/Ip8ljM6nvX

— Paralympics Ireland (@ParalympicsIRE) August 31, 2021

Gary O’Reilly – Men’s H5 Time Trial

The men’s event began only 20 minutes after the women’s event with O’Reilly setting off as the sixth cyclist. Using the handcycles, he was in with an outside shot for a medal.

His first two laps were steady as he tried to find his rhythm on the road. As the second lap finished, he became a man on a mission as he blitzed the competition, opening out a 37-second lead for the lap.

His main source of competition was from Netherlands De Vries who rode along with him.

The 28-year-old finished his final lap in a time of 39:36.46 only a minute and a half behind the leader and good enough for him to claim a bronze medal.

The gold medal was well-earned by the Netherland’s Valize even after he fell against the fences on a tight bend. The silver medal was given to France’s Vergnaud.

This becomes Ireland’s fifth medal of the Paralympics so far and O’Reilly will be one to watch in the men’s road race tomorrow.

#ParaCycling | #TeamIreland

Gary O'Reilly#TheNextLevel | #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/hnfYm3ecxh

— Paralympics Ireland (@ParalympicsIRE) August 30, 2021

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Roche was amongst the early starters tasked with laying down a marker for the field of 35 riders to measure themselves against.

He completed the tough and gruelling 44.2-kilometre men’s Olympic Time Trial in a time of 1:01:23.

Roche had played a key role in supporting Dan Martin in the 234-kilometre Road Race on Saturday, in which Martin finished in 16^th position.

Eddie Dunbar was also part of Team Ireland’s Men’s Olympic Road Race team.

A quick recovery was required as the Time Trial course featured a total elevation gain of 846 meters in hot and humid conditions.

“That was one tough day,” Roche said at the finish line.

“Definitely left it all on the road but obviously against a lot of the top of the world specialists I’m a lot slower than most of them, but I gave it 100%.

“I thank the staff and Cycling Ireland and the Olympic team for their commitment behind me for these Games, and I hope I gave everything I could. It’s been an amazing experience to get my fourth Games, I’m extremely proud.”

Roche previously competed at the 2008 Games in Beijing, the 2012 Games in London and the 2016 Games in Rio.

However, this was the 37-year-old’s first appearance at an Olympic time trial.

This Olympics instalment of the gruelling race against the clock was won by Primož Roglič of Slovenia in a blistering time of 55:04:19, with Roglič averaging 48.3kph.

Roglič did much of the damage on the final lap extending his advantage as the terrain took its toll on the heavier riders.

Tom Dumoulin of the Netherlands returned from a brief hiatus from bike racing to claim the silver medal in a time of 56:05.58.

Australia’s Rohan Dennis finished in 56:08.09 to win bronze less than half a second ahead of Stefan Kueng.

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