Storey wins Britain's first Paralympic gold medal of London 2012

By David Gold at the Velodrome on the Olympic Park in London

August 30 - Sarah Storey, now Britain's eight time Paralympic champion, claimed the host nation's first gold medal of this summer's Games here this afternoon with a superb display in the women's individual C5 pursuit.

Storey (pictured above and below, centre) had recorded a time of 3min 32.170sec in the morning's action to set a world record.

She then dominated against Poland's Anna Harkowska (pictured below, right) in the final, overtaking her opponent less than two thirds of the way through the 3,000 metre race.

Storey has now broken a stunning 72 world records after her performance this morning.

The 34-year-old claimed two gold medals in Beijing four years' ago, which added to her five swimming Paralympic titles already won before Storey switched to cycling.

This is the first of four potential gold medals that Storey could win if London 2012 goes according to plan for her.

Storey praised the atmosphere at the Velodrome afterwards.

"It is the most incredible family atmosphere and I loved it," she said.

"I have just got three more events to get my head around.

"I have one on Saturday (September 1), hopefully I will get a good performance in and see where it takes me."

Womens Individual_C5_Pursuit_Cycling_winners_August_30

Womens Individual_C5_Pursuit_Cycling_winners_August_30

Storey is now closing in on Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson's record as Britain's most decorated Paralympian.

If she wins her remaining events she would join Grey-Thompson with 11 gold medals.

"I do not think any athlete ever goes into it thinking they could become the greatest ever Paralympian," she said when questioned about the prospect of making history.

"Every medal is so individual to every rider and athlete and ultimately I can only do the job I can do."

New Zealand's Fiona Southorn (pictured above, left) took the bronze after beating another Briton, Crystal Lane.

Southern built up a comfortable lead over Lane and never looked like relinquishing it.

The men's C1-2-3 1km time trial was claimed by China's Zhang Yu Li (pictured below, left), who broke a C1 world record with a time of 1:13.009.

Britain's Mark Colbourne stole the limelight from six-time Paralympic gold medallist Darren Kenny as he grabbed a silver medal on his Games debut.

Zhang Yu_Li_August_30

Kenny won this event in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008, but Colbourne's superb late run secured him a medal at his compatriot's expense.

Tobias Graf of Germany picked up the bronze medal, after he set a world record in the C2 class with a time of 1:15.858.

Susan Powell (pictured below), who broke a world record during the morning session with a time of 4:03.306, claimed gold for Australian in the C4 individual pursuit.

She edged out Megan Fisher, who had started strongly, and her compatriot Alexandra Green then won the bronze.

Sini Zeng won the women's individual C1-2-3 pursuit as she fended off a challenge Australia's Simone Kennedy.

Allison Jones of the United States had to settle for bronze.

Zeng had set a C2 world record in the morning session with a time of 4:19.841, while Australia's Jayme Paris was unlucky not to reach the final after clocking a C1 world record of 4:40.123.

Susan Powell_August_30