Australia grabbed six medals, two of them gold, and two new world records on day one of the fiercely fought cycling competition at the Beijing Paralympic Games.
In a classic case of déjà vu, visually impaired Kieran Modra (former AIS) and Tyson Lawrence (pilot) repeated their performance four years ago in the 4000m pursuit in Athens by winning gold and setting a new world record.

The pair defeated Spaniards Christian Venge and David Llaurado.

Their time of 4.18.166 shaved almost two seconds off the mark they set at the 2004 Games.

‘I’d like to dedicate it to my wife because she used to be a cyclist with me when we were riding mixed male and female tandem,’ Modra said.

‘I think (I feel) very relieved, all the training that we put into it and trying to make everything just come right for about four minutes. It’s quite amazing to make it happen.’

‘I didn’t expect it (another world record) in my wildest dreams because usually you go a bit slower …because you put everything out and your legs are a big lactated, but the fact that you can back up and do a faster time is testimony to our training and our fitness.’

‘It shows us that we are right on track and all our training has gone in the right direction.’

Veteran Chris Scott also produced back-to-back golds in the 3000m individual pursuit, having finished first in world record time in Athens.

Competing in his sixth Paralympics, the former Australian team captain defied a severe back injury in 2006 and injuries sustained when knocked off his bike by a car while training to get the better of Japan’s highly favoured Ishii Masashi in a time of 3.40.144.

Masashi was a lot faster in the qualifying round, but could not equal Scott’s brilliant last lap surge in the final.

'This was my last ever pursuit so I’m pretty stoked,' said Chris, a cerebral palsy athlete.

'I’m going out on an absolute high, which after the setbacks of recent years is even sweeter.'

Women’s pair Felicity Johnson and Katie Parker, grabbed Silver in the 1km time trial, while the Sydney duo of Lindy Hou and Toirease Gallagher claimed the Bronze.

The surprise packet of Bryce Lindores and Steven George won a Bronze medal in finishing third in the 4000km Pursuit.

Lindores lost the sight in his left eye when struck by an elasticized strap four years ago and only took up cycling in 2006.

Australia’s third bronze medal – and the Australian team’s first medal of the 2008 Games – was won by Queensland’s Greg Ball in a world record time (for his class) of 1.17.681 in the men’s 1km time trial.

In the same event, one legged skiing superstar Michael Milton, in his debut Summer Games event, clocked a personal best to finish 9th.

The Australian Government, through the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), is a long-time supporter of our Paralympians. During the current Paralympic cycle, the ASC has worked strategically with the Australian Paralympic Committee (APC) to plan for a successful Beijing Paralympic campaign. This partnership has included over $26 million in ASC funding dedicated assisting Australia’s Paralympic athletes in their sporting endeavours.

The ASC also provided in excess of $1 million through the Australian Government Sport Training scheme to targeted athletes from the sports of rowing, powerlifting, equestrian, men’s and women’s wheelchair basketball, cycling, athletics, shooting, table tennis, wheelchair rugby, tennis and swimming, to assist in their preparation for Beijing.

In early 2008, the Australian Government confirmed its continued support of the APC, with an additional $22.8 million in funding over a five year period beginning in 2007/08. This funding supplements existing Government assistance provided through the Australian Sports Commission to underpin the APC’s national campaign to contest the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing and lays the groundwork for the 2010 Winter Games and the 2012 Summer Games.  It will also provide an enhanced capacity to support Australian Paralympic athletes contesting other international events and assist in the televising of the Paralympics.